text:
20 June 2023 14:00 - 15:30register now
Digital public infrastructure for inclusive digital development
On 20 June 2023 from 14:00 - 15:30 CET, ECDPM will host a webinar to look at the roll out of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a catalyst of inclusive digital economies across the world. In particular, the webinar will explore the demand for DPI in Africa, and look at how the EU might share its own experiences in building interoperable DPI and the regulatory frameworks to support it.
At the recent G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) in India, the host nation highlighted how digital public infrastructure (DPI) had played a vital role in allowing India to leapfrog 40 years of development and provide public and private services at scale.
As the EU aims to expand its global digital footprint, particularly in Africa, it is exploring how to put together an offer that meets African demand. Under the Global Gateway strategy, the EU plans to build digital connectivity and support African governments in their efforts to develop digital governance and regulatory frameworks to boost the wider digital economy. Yet the EU also has important experiences in developing DPI and the necessary regulatory frameworks to support it that can also be drawn on in order to expand the inclusivity of the digital economy in Africa and across the world.
List of speakers
Sameer Patil, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation
Sabine Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Africa Nenda
Bitange Ndemo, Kenyan Ambassador to Brussels
David Roos, Deputy Head for Digital Development, GIZ
Ennatu Domingo, Policy officer, ECDPM


text:
Bybit today announced in a company statement that it is offering its customers the ability to trade cryptocurrencies directly on MT4, the most popular trading platform for online retail traders.
The popular crypto platform has completed its MetaTrader 4 integration to allow users to enjoy countless features, including thousands of charting tools, trading robots and technical indicators, as well as copying features trading, alerts, financial news and mobile trading.
Although its Russian developer, MetaQuotes, launched its successor, MT5, in 2010, the older version has yet to loosen its monopolistic grip on the retail arena. Since MT4 has stood the test of time, millions of traders still consider it an integral part of their daily trading activity.
At launch, Bybit users can trade USDT perpetual contracts 24/7, but MT4 functionality will soon be available for other instruments.
“Very popular among retail traders, MT4 offers advanced technical analysis, a flexible trading system and algorithmic trading tools. Developed by MetaQuotes, the features of MT4 on Bybit will be available to all Bybit users. They can also integrate Expert Advisors for an automated trading experience, allowing them to integrate their trading scripts from other vendors offering MT4,” the exchange said.
MT4 offers many opportunities
You could say that MT4 functionality is already available from mainstream FX and CFD brokers, but offering such terminals tested by an established crypto exchange should satisfy non-FX traders and provide an enhanced trading experience.
Over the past two years, the crypto industry has grown and attracted a large number of investors. While brokers were willing to expand their offering with cryptocurrencies, the native infrastructure to trade underlying assets was lacking.
“As one of the most advanced and convenient trading solutions, MT4 is a great tool for our users to enhance their trading experience. We are excited to take our products and services to the next level with this integration with MT4, and look forward to our users benefiting from its features and navigating the rise of digital assets with us,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO. from Bybit.
Bybit made headlines earlier this week after securing a virtual asset license in Dubai, allowing it to operate under the emirate’s “test-adapt-scale” model as a regional development platform. . The exchange is also setting up a base for global operations in the UAE to seed new talent and create a vibrant blockchain ecosystem.
We want to give thanks to the writer of this write-up for this remarkable content
Bybit Unlocks MT4 Features For Cryptocurrency Traders
You can view our social media profiles here and additional related pages here.https://metfabtech.com/related-pages/

domain: news


text:
Those who fly out of the Tri-Cities Airport will now be able to catch a direct flight to Dallas/Fort Worth.
Aiirport officials made the announcement Thursday that there will now be direct flights to DFW.
The route starts in September, and you can start booking as early as April 15th.
The following is a news release about the announcement from Tri-Cities Airport officials:
“American Airlines and the Tri-Cities Airport Authority (TCAA) announced nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) beginning September 4, 2019. The new service will be twice daily and available for booking starting April 15, 2019.
“We are very excited to grow our presence at TRI,” said Cedric Rockamore, American Airlines Vice President of Hub Operations at DFW. “Offering two daily flights from TRI to DFW will help us continue to provide customers in this market an opportunity to easily travel to our largest hub and connect on American to numerous destinations around the world.”
“We are thrilled American Airlines has chosen to expand service at TRI by adding twice daily service to Dallas,” said Gene Cossey, TCAA executive director. “The Dallas flight, and continuing our work to increase service, are vital to the region’s business and tourism communities. Our passengers will now have access to 84 additional one-stop routes that are not currently available from TRI on American Airlines.”
“Our community has been asking for this flight for some time and we are so pleased that American Airlines has chosen to add daily jet service to DFW,” said Jon Smith, TCAA Chairman. “The Tri-Cities region will now have direct access to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and beyond for work or leisure. Additional service connects people and economies, making this region an even better place to live, work, and play.”
American Airlines will now offer nonstop service to Charlotte and Dallas/Forth Worth from TRI. Flights can be booked on the www.TRIflight.com booking engine or directly with American at www.aa.com.”
Watch the press conference announcement below


text:
Wedding planning is often regarded as one of the most stressful things a person can do, made no less stressful by the guests themselves once the invitations have been sent out. New research has revealed the most annoying guest behaviours that irk British couples on their big day.
According to a recent survey by leading free wedding planning site Hitched.co.uk, the most annoying question a guest can ask after receiving their invitation is whether they can bring a plus one or a child, with almost 70% of respondents citing this. The second-most annoying question was how to RSVP, despite this information being provided, which frustrated 18% of couples.
With many couples now using free wedding websites to communicate details to guests, it is unacceptable to ask questions already covered, such as requesting a special menu (8%) or asking for venue details (5%).
Leading up to the big day, over half (53%) said questions around the seating plan and who guests would be sat with were the most annoying. Asking if they could make a speech also frustrated 38% of couples.
Hitched’s editor Zoe Burke said, “Couples put a lot of time into their wedding websites – they match the theme, have cute stories and that all-important FAQs page. It’s the perfect way to anticipate guest questions so no one bothers you asking if they can bring extra people or give a speech.”
On the wedding day itself, 38% were most annoyed by guests trying to be the centre of attention when the focus should be on the couple. Getting too drunk too soon also frustrated 32%, and getting in the photographer’s way irked 17%.
Other annoying behaviours were guests constantly being on their phones (13%) and complaining about the food (9%). Lateness was also an issue, with 8% citing late arrivals as annoying.
A third of couples (32%) said they wished they had included clearer guidance for guests on etiquette and behaviour expectations via their wedding website or invites.
Burke advised, “It can feel awkward spelling out rules for your guests but often people simply don’t know what’s expected. Providing some gentle guidance on your website around things like excessive drinking, using phones respectfully and timeliness can avoid irritation on the day.”
The research also revealed the guest behaviours that delighted couples on their big day. Heartfelt, personalised speeches were most appreciated, with 47% saying these meant a lot. Guests making the effort to dress nicely was also valued by 36%.
Small touches like congratulatory handwritten cards (26%) and thoughtful gifts based on registry suggestions (24%) did not go unnoticed. Others were grateful for guests who helped make things run smoothly behind the scenes (19%) and those who bonded with unfamiliar guests to make them feel included (17%).


text:
Foxconn Looking to Sell New Gen 10.5 Plant?
Reuters reported this week that Foxconn is in discussions to appoint banks to find a buyer for its LCD factory that is being built in Guangzhou. While Foxconn replied in a written statement that “As a matter of company policy, Foxconn does not respond to market rumors or speculation,” Reuters reported that multiple contacts within Foxconn were involved in the discussion. If true, the sale of such a new plant would be unprecedented in the flat panel display industry.
Reuters reported that Foxconn is reviewing its businesses in light of the US-China trade war, which is disrupting global supply chains. While Reuters referred to “slowing demand for large-screen televisions and monitors”, DSCC would characterize the situation as a growing oversupply that has far outstripped demand growth. Foxconn questioned the need for the Guangzhou plant: “Existing plants are already not running at full capacity ... why need another one?”
The Guangzhou fab is expected to start mass production in late September or early Octo- ber, and celebrated a lighting up ceremony on July 31st and already rolled out its first 65”panel according to Digitimes. The plant is a joint venture between the Guangzhou government and Sakai Display Products (SDP), which owns the Gen 10 LCD plant in Sakai City, Japan, built by Sharp. In its years of financial distress in before being taken over by Foxconn in 2016, Sharp sold portions of the SDP business to some suppliers and to Foxconn founder Terry Gou. Sharp and Gou remain minority owners of SDP, but Foxconn does not directly have a stake except through its majority share of Sharp.
As originally envisioned, the Guangzhou Gen 10.5 was targeted to manufacture 65” and 75” TV panels and expected to generate an annual revenue of CNY 92 billion ($US 13 billion) from an investment of CNY 61 billion (US$ 8.7 billion). However, such a revenue projection was unrealistic to begin with, and appears fantastic given the recent trend. TV panel prices have fallen by 50% since the project was originally conceived, and at current prices the annual revenues from the plant, selling 65” panels at 90% yield and utilization, would amount to only $1.3 billion.
TV Panel Pricing, 2015-2019. Average of Six Sizes, Indexed to January 2014
Source: DSCC Analysis
The prospects for large-screen TV may be further diminished by the 10% tariffs to be imposed by the US on China imports. While most high-end TVs sold in the US are manufactured in Mexico, many lower-priced TVs are imported from China, both from China-based brands like TCL and Hisense and white box brands. The tariffs will likely lead to increased prices for TVs, and lower volume.
Chinese TV brands have been losing money for the last 2-3 years, and without continuing government subsidies would find it difficult to survive. Our sources in China say that there will be no more new investments in large-gen LCD fabs in China, and that pending projects, including a Gen 10.5 fab announced by HKC, will face delays or cancellaintion.
If it really wants to try to sell the Gen 10.5 plant in Guangzhou, Foxconn may have difficulty finding a buyer, given the current dynamics of the industry. The only prospects are among Chinese panel makers. CEC might be able to raise funds with an equity offering, as the company’s stock price has increased 44% this year. Other options include HKC, CSOT or BOE. Regardless of the buyer, Foxconn will have a tremendous challenge to recoup its investment.
The possible sale by Foxconn of its Guangzhou Gen 10.5 fab has no direct impact on Foxconn’s plans to build an LCD plant in the US state of Wisconsin. Foxconn has repeatedly said that it is committed to creating 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin, and has recently started construction of a manufacturing facility there. However, if Foxconn can put a huge investment like Guangzhou up for sale even before it starts mass production, one has to wonder if any investment by the company is safe.


text:
Hip-HopVibe.com Staff Writer
The year of 2020 has seen many racists uncovered, as people have shared their experiences with several businesses. Gone are the days of people putting up with being wronged. Because of this, people are taking to social media, and business review forums to speak out.
Unfortunately, there are some who have taken advantage of this, to target businesses, unfairly. However, most of the people being accused, were guilty of wrongdoing. Whatever the case, Yelp is doing their fair share to alert people.
This afternoon, Yelp took to Twitter to announce an update to their system. Long before 2020, businesses were being accused of racism, and racist behavior, on Yelp. Now, Yelp announces they will add a label “Business Accused of Racist Behavior” to businesses accused.
Read Yelp’s tweet below:
Follow Hip-HopVibe.com on Twitter @HipHopVibe1.


text:
Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of overweight and harmful inflammation
According to WHO, the number of overweight children has reached epidemic proportions. Overweight children risk being overweight as adults and develop hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation, and other metabolic disturbances. Apparently, overweight individuals often lack vitamin D, a nutrient that is important for regulating weight, inflammation, and many metabolic processes. This was pointed out in an Italian study published in Nutrients, where the authors address vitamin D’s role in health and explain why so many overweight people are vitamin D-deficient.
Overweight children have great difficulty with losing weight in adult life. This is because the average number of fat cells in the body increases until the age of around 20, at which point it stabilizes. Overweight children and youngsters therefore have more fat cells than their normal-weight peers.
Once the overweight children and youngsters reach adulthood, weight loss will not affect the number of fat cells but only the amount of fat stored in these cells. It is therefore more difficult for someone to lose weight if they have been overweight as a child. Overweight people also have a greater risk of developing different metabolic disturbances that even affect insulin sensitivity and set the stage for chronic inflammation, elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. Studies have also linked elevated levels of the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) protein to an increased risk of insulin resistance, blood clots, and atherosclerosis. PAI-1 is found in many cells and in blood platelets.
In the new study, Italian scientists wanted to look closer at the relation between blood levels of vitamin D, PAI-1, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. They measured blood levels of vitamin D, PAI-1, and other parameters in 259 Italian children, who were either overweight or obese. The children were between two and 18 years of age and were recruited from a large Italian cohort study called Nutritional Education Program of the Bambino Gesú Children’s Hospital and Research Institute of Rome. The researchers also included 80 children and youngsters of normal body weight as a control group. Their blood levels of vitamin D, PAI-1, and other parameters were also measured.
When comparing the two groups, the scientists found that overweight children were more likely to be vitamin D-deficient and showed an increased tendency towards increased levels of PAI-1, a higher rate of insulin resistance, and elevated inflammation markers in the blood.
Based on their findings, the scientists conclude that overweight children and youngsters are at increased risk of having low vitamin D levels and elevated levels of PAI-1, which increases their risk of cardiovascular diseases and blood clots.
How does vitamin D affect blood sugar levels, weight control, and cardiovascular health?
Most overweight people have difficulty with maintaining stable blood sugar levels, which is why they snack in between meals, causing the excess calories to be stored as fat and making their weight go up. Overweight is also linked to insulin resistance where the uptake of glucose in cells is impaired. This can eventually result in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes that is spreading like a bushfire.
Active vitamin D is considered a steroid hormone that affects most cells in the body by way of their vitamin D receptors. This also goes for the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. There are also vitamin D receptors in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls our appetite and metabolism. Scientists have even found a link between vitamin D and the release of leptin from fatty tissue. Leptin is a so-called satiety hormone.
Vitamin D regulates inflammation. Overweight people often suffer from chronic low-grade inflammation because their fatty tissue produces too many pro-inflammatory cytokines. Insulin resistance and chronic inflammation are known to set the stage for oxidative stress, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases, which is why vitamin D is important in so many ways.
According to the new study, vitamin D even helps regulate levels of PAI-1, which is also important because elevated levels of this protein increase the risk of atherosclerosis and blood clots. Studies suggest that overweight people and diabetics have an increased need for vitamin D.
Why do overweight people often lack vitamin D, and why do they have an increased need for the nutrient?
Around one billion people worldwide are believed to lack vitamin D, primarily because of modern living and too little sun exposure. Studies have shown a link between overweight and vitamin D deficiency, which makes it difficult to lose weight, in addition.
The jury is still out on the question if overweight people are more likely than others to have low vitamin D levels in their blood. Vitamin D is a lipid-soluble nutrient, and it is therefore theorized that overweight individuals store more vitamin D in their fatty tissue and have lower quantities of the vitamin in their blood. We only get limited amounts of vitamin D from the food we eat. The problem is only made worse by the fact that many people have unhealthy eating habits and don’t eat the good vitamin D sources such as oily fish, cod roe, eggs, and high-fat dairy products. Many people who are overweight get too little sunshine, and the winter sun is not strong enough to enable vitamin D synthesis in our skin. Moreover, the form of vitamin D that we humans synthesize in the skin must be converted by the liver to 25(OH)D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D), which is the form of vitamin D that is measured in blood tests. Afterwards, 25(OH)D is converted into the active steroid form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D), and this process is handled by the kidneys and other tissues. Interestingly, many overweight people and individuals suffering from metabolic syndrome have difficulty with activating vitamin D and therefore have an increased need for the nutrient.
Also, we need magnesium to activate vitamin D, and many people don’t get enough magnesium from their daily diet.
Vitamin D supplements and optimal nutrient utilization
When health authorities make guidelines for recommended vitamin D intake, they fail to take into account that overweight people have an increased need. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established the following safe upper intake levels for vitamin D: infants (25 micrograms/day), children aged six months to 10 years (50 micrograms/day), and children from the age of 11 years plus adults (100 micrograms/day). Because vitamin D is lipid-soluble we get the best effect by taking the nutrient in some type of oil in capsules. Make sure to get enough magnesium so the body can activate vitamin D.
Giovina Di Felice et al. Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 and Vitamin D Association in Overweight and Obese Pediatric Population. Nutrients 2023.
Deirdre K. Tobias et L. Association of Body Weight with Response to Vitamin D Supplementation and Metabolism. JAMA Network Open, 2023
Scott LaFee. Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Greater Risk of Diabetes. UC San Diego Health. April 2018
Anne Marie Uwitonze, Mohammed S Razzaque. Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018
TIP! See also the related articles
Search for more information...
- Created on .


text:
e-Strategy Trends’ continually-updated collection of email marketing research, statistics and trends for marketing, public relations, advertising and strategic communications professionals.
A large majority (89%) of marketers use video as part of their content strategy, which is not surprising considering marketers believe video converts better than other content. But how do marketers get their video content to their audiences? A new report from Wibbitz reveals that when marketers promote their videos, either organically or through paid ads, an overwhelming number turn to social media, even more so than their own websites or blogs.Read More
While very few marketers would dispute the effectiveness of personalization, there are still barriers to being able to personalize at scale, namely the time and cost involved in creating personalized content. A survey of more than 1,000 US consumers from Periscope by McKinsey shares some insights on personalized messages and what consumers think of them.Read More


text:
SUNFED RANCH CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
Introduces new grass fed beef value-added product lines at Natural Products Expo West
WOODLAND, Calif. (March 17, 2016)—Five years ago today Matt Byrne and Chris Donati launched SunFed Ranch on shared values and a commitment to provide sustainable, healthy food to nourish a new generation of conscientious consumers. Founded in 2011, the company started selling fresh boxed grass fed beef to Bay Area stores and restaurants and has now grown to become a leading branded organic and natural grass fed beef supplier sourcing only from select American family farms.
“Today’s five-year anniversary marks a significant milestone and accomplishment for SunFed Ranch, demonstrating the consumer demand for humanely and sustainably raised, grass fed beef,” stated Matt Byrne, co-founder and president of SunFed Ranch. “This is a proud day for our family operated and owned company and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our customers who continue to support our brand, and in turn – our community of ethical, like-minded family ranchers.”
SunFed Ranch recently introduced two new value-added lines at the Natural Products Expo West, held in Anaheim, CA. The new artisan Uncured Deli Meat and convenient, microwavable Skillet Meal lines add value and convenience to the company’s sustainable, organic and grass fed fresh beef offerings. These two new product lines will make grass fed beef available to additional markets, further expanding its growing national footprint.
Proud to produce the highest quality 100% grass fed beef on the market with a rich, complex, old-fashioned beef flavor, SunFed Ranch cattle are humanely raised on select American family ranches. SunFed Ranch families are proud to uphold sustainable farming methods and an unwavering commitment to animal care to ensure the highest quality 100% grass fed and grass finished beef possible.
SunFed Ranch is also pleased to announce that the company has passed a rigorous, independent verification process and is now certified by the Non-GMO Project. This additional, third-party verification will add another level of buyer confidence of GMO controls on the ranch and at the processing plant. The Non-GMO Project seal will begin to appear on a new line of SunFed Ranch beef and value-added items in the spring of 2016.
SunFed Ranch offers high quality, sustainable, 100% grass fed beef options, from fresh boxed primals to on-trend, chef-inspired, consumer-ready items that provide choice and convenience.
SunFed Ranch is a community of ethical, like-minded family ranchers committed to providing sustainable, healthy food to nourish a new generation of conscientious consumers. SunFed Ranch beef is produced exclusively from select American family ranches, from cattle that have been humanely and ethically treated and raised with no hormones or antibiotics added, in addition to have passed a rigorous, independent verification process to become Non-GMO Project verified.
To learn more about SunFed Ranch, please visit www.SunFedRanch.com or email email@example.com.


text:
As cold weather begins to bite, the higher cost of food will leave many in London struggling to put a meal on the table and heat their homes at the same time.
Inflation has finally slowed in the UK, with recent data showing an annual rate of 3.9% in November – the lowest in two years.
While this is good news for a country battered by a cost of living crisis starting in 2022, inflation remains higher than in the European Union.
Especially in London, which has the highest poverty rate in the UK, people are struggling to put food on the table for themselves and their families.
Winter can be a magical time in Europe’s richest city, but beyond the sparkle is the grim reality of financial difficulties faced by many residents.
As Christmas lights brighten up busy shopping streets and excited tourists huddle around the seasonal markets, hundreds of Londoners line up in the city’s food banks.
“25% of households… are struggling to put food on the table,” Sarah Calcutt, CEO of food charity City Harvest, tells Euronews. “The problem is immense and it is much worse than last year. We have twice as many people on a waiting list this year than we had 12 months ago.”
In part, this is because living in the British capital is so expensive.
The cost of living skyrocketed in London last year when inflation reached a staggering 11.1%, exacerbating pre-existing crises of homelessness and poverty.
While most of Europe has since recovered, the situation hasn’t improved as much in the UK, where inflation was still 6.7% in September and 4.6% in October.
Between November 2021 and November 2023, the overall price of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by around 27%, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In 2022, the number of people experiencing destitution grew to 3.8 million, including one million children – two and a half times more than in 2017.
Though energy bills aren’t at the monstrous levels they reached in 2022, when the government stepped in to help families pay their bills, many households are still facing the same impossible choice: buy food or heat their homes.
A recent survey commissioned by home heating brand Airgon found that 34% of British households will be cutting back on their food shopping this winter to afford their energy bills.
Nearly 60% are worried about the cost of staying warm this winter, with one in 10 households in London spending more than 30% of monthly income on energy bills alone.
Making matters worse London has the highest poverty rate in the entire country.
Households are considered below the UK poverty line if their income is under 60% of the median household income after housing costs for that year.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, an NGO focusing on poverty, more than one in four people in the British capital (27%) live in poverty.
That’s mainly because a majority of Londoners live in rented accommodation, which is expensive in the city.
The capital also has a bigger Black, Asian and ethnic minority population than anywhere else in the UK, and these households tend to be poorer (38%) than white ones (19%).
Euronews has contacted the London Mayor’s Office for comment but did not receive a timely response.
With food prices rising faster this year than any other since the 1970s, many London who are struggling to make ends meet are forced to rely on food banks.
Many are working poor. That is, individuals who, despite being employed and receiving a monthly salary (often minimum wage), do not earn enough to live properly, says Calcutt of food charity City Harvest.
Her organisation, which fights food waste while feeding those in need, also serves meals to nurses and junior doctors in British hospitals, newly qualified teachers in schools, and children whose families can’t afford to put a meal on the table every day.
As cold weather sets in, higher food costs are expected to leave many in London and the UK struggling to eat and heat their homes at the same time.
Warm banks – public spaces with heating – are available across the capital in libraries, community hubs and learning centres.
As Calcutt explains, families’ savings have been decimated by the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
“There are no reserves, no extra money,” she says. “Wages have not gone up in line with the cost of food and the cost of living in any way. And so there just isn’t enough money in the household to cope. If something goes wrong, that’s it. There’s no buffer, nothing.”


text:
7 May 2021 –
Suning International, the international business arm of Chinese retail giant Suning Group, unveiled a new cross-border initiative that will see the company partner with foreign brands that are seeking entry and expansion into the world’s second largest economy.
Leveraging its global supply chains and digital capabilities, Suning International is offering overseas brands a “customized one-stop solution” that will help them draw Chinese consumers, whose shopping preferences and habits have shifted since China entered a rapid recovery path for economic normalization in the second half of last year.
“It’s really interesting for us to see the changes in purchasing behaviors of young consumers, especially for China’s Generation Z in the post-pandemic era. Firstly, we see them gravitating towards foreign products with interesting selling points, a good brand story from their country of origin and most importantly, traceability and authenticity; Secondly, we see more and more young people going on e-commerce platforms to make purchases,” Suning International General Manager Melody Jia told Pandaily on the sidelines of the press conference held on Friday, coinciding with the China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, Hainan.
Suning International will offer foreign brands its cross-border trade solutions, which include customs clearance and warehouse operations, global supply chain and logistics services, new retail channel networks, as well as comprehensive financial management.
Additionally, it will provide business planning services focusing on localized strategic consulting and content marketing — a critical area for overseas brands to develop the right China market strategy and succeed in the long term.
“These brands may be well-known and time-honored in their own countries, but to enter the Chinese market and succeed, they need suitable localization strategies ,” Jia said.
“We want to help global brands and their products fit the lifestyle of the younger generation, and likewise, we want to help young consumers understand the these brands and their products better,” Jia said, adding that the company will be making more shelf space for their overseas partners in their physical Carrefour and Suning branches.
Right now, Carrefour China is managing import goods worth more than 400 million yuan (62 million), and that amount is expected to double this year, according to Chen Shangbin, vice president of Carrefour China Commodities.
“We are importing over 10,000 products from more than 49 countries and regions,” Chen told Pandaily, adding that the supermarket brand will aim to make big purchases overseas in order to lower local prices.
So far, Suning International has signed deals with its subsidiary Laox, Japan’s largest duty-free retailer, the Italian Trade Agency, SUP’s, a branding, marketing and consulting service provider, and cross-border e-commerce supply chain company E-matou. The company said it is expecting to sign up more than 1,000 emerging brands for the new initiative.
The firm hopes the initiative will serve as an engine to boost cross-border partnerships and propel Suning International into becoming the biggest imported supply chain platform for global brands to take root in China.
To date, the company has partnered with more than 5,000 international companies and introduced more than 1.2 million products to the Chinese market.
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Nanjing, Suning Group has two listed subsidiaries at home and in Japan, with more than 300,000 employees around the world. It has businesses in retail, real estate, and financial services.
On Thursday, the retail giant announced that it has signed a framework agreement with the Jiangsu provincial and Nanjing city arms of China’s State‑owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) to send up a 20 billion yuan fund ($3.1 billion).
The New Retail Development Fund will support Suning “in adjusting and optimizing its structure, revitalize high-quality assets, achieve transformational development, and promote the high-quality development of the new retail industry,” according to a statement released by the company.
The four-day consumer products expo, which kicked off on Thursday in Hainan, will see more than 1,300 global brands from 69 countries and regions showcasing high-end products including supplements, jewelry, laptops and cosmetics.
The mega event is a first of its kind and a key step in the government’s plan that aims to build the island province into a free trade port by 2025.
Co-hosted by China’s commerce ministry and the Hainan provincial government, organizers said the expo is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors.


text:
In 2018, the United States passed the Farm Bill, which made hemp legal in all of its forms. It also made it legal for farmers to cultivate their own hemp for personal and professional purposes. But, that doesn’t mean that every state went along. When hemp was legalized federally, states still had the option to choose whether or not to maintain its legal status within their own territory. This made things quite confusing for a while, especially for those looking to begin taking CBD regularly.
The information that follows is based on independent research from Kigh. While we do our best to to gather information from credible sources, we are not attorneys at law and this should not be interpreted as legal advice.
But, the state of Maryland has allowed the federal law to speak for its own legislation, meaning that CBD is legal in the state of Maryland as it is legal on a federal level. Those wishing to take CBD may do so, and CBD may also be sold in stores.
CBD Laws in maryland
Are you a Maryland resident who is interested in giving CBD a try? If so, it’s understandable that you want to make sure that it’s perfectly legal to do so before embarking on a daily hemp journey. We know that laws surrounding CBD throughout the country are confusing to many, mainly due to its recent legislation as well as its close association to marijuana, a controlled substance according to federal law.
Despite hemp being legal throughout the nation, individual states are left to their own devices to regulate the hemp market within their territory, which is why residents in Maryland may be confused as to whether or not it’s legal for them to use CBD.
More people are gravitating toward CBD because of its many unique properties that come from its cannabinoid content, which is a type of plant compound that feeds the body’s endocannabinoid system. Many Maryland residents may want to consider giving hemp a try after reading this article, if they aren’t already doing so.
Is CBD Legal in Maryland?
There is one distinction worth pointing out, however. CBD is only legal in Maryland if it comes from the hemp plant rather than the marijuana plant. Both of these plants belong to the cannabis family, but marijuana remains illegal according to federal law. This is because marijuana is psychoactive due to its high THC content. Hemp, meanwhile, has a trace amount of THC only, meaning that it can’t get a person high.
So, when the FDA says that CBD products aren’t considered legal, they are referring to CBD derived from marijuana. It is still illegal to market that type of CBD by adding it to food or labeling it as a dietary supplement, according to the FDA.
Buying CBD oil online is easier than it has been in years past, but there are also local shops with CBD-infused products and medical marijuana products if you have a prescription.
The FDA, however, does warn the public they believe some of these products make “questionable health promises about CBD” and there are no other FDA-approved drug products that contain CBD.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a nonintoxicating cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp that is sometimes used medicinally. It’s also often infused into certain food products or oils.
Companies like these market the CBD-infused oils as health-based, though the FDA believes these types of products are marketed with unproven medical claims.
They’ll offer uses including quelling your anxiety, helping people sleep easier and even to help your body when working out, often mixing in other scents to make them more appealing to users. Some of these products are even often used on people’s pets to help them as well.
Some popular local shops, according to Yelp, include CBD Supply MD in Towson; Innerzen, a vitamins and supplements shop in Hampden; Embrace CBD Wellness Center in Glen Burnie and SoBotanical in Federal Hill, to name the top few.


text:
Breaking Down the Platform Walls
This week, the tech world is buzzing about a broadening competition between Apple and Google after both companies announced payment systems for digital content within the span of two days. But both Apple and Google are missing the point. Neither of them will become the successor to the newspaper because a single platform doesn’t benefit either the publishers or their consumers.
Publishers need an easy way to monetize their content while retaining info about their readers and consumers need a convenient way to pay for their news. Why should you have to buy your copy of your favorite newspaper once to read it on your Google Android phone and again to read it on your Apple iPad? That’s ridiculous.
Whether subscription-based or on a singular basis, walling off content within the confines of one device or operating system limits publishers’ reach and stifles their readers’ demand. Publishers are simply looking for ways to monetize digital content, and they’ve told us over and over that they don’t care which platform or device their customers read it on. The most open solution will win in the end because it leaves that decision to the consumer.
A more open approach to digital goods payments–breaking down the platform walls–benefits both publishers and consumers. Consumers retain the freedom to read articles on whatever device most suits them at that particular moment, while publishers don’t have to give up one of the key insights they use to sell advertising: the details on who is reading their news content.
Whenever walled gardens have come up against the open web, the open web has won out. Just look at AOL. They were synonymous with the Internet in the early 1990s but they restricted their users. Do you know anyone who still has an AOL account? It’s the same thing now. When it comes to selling digital content, a payment system that works easily across platforms just makes sense for both the publishers and their readers. It’s not that readers won’t pay. They just won’t pay if it’s too difficult or too restrictive. While this week’s news has been exciting to watch, the real issue is how to make paying for digital content easy and safe for consumers and profitable for publishers.
Sam Shrauger is vice president of global product and experience at PayPal and is responsible for product strategy and management, as well as user experience design.


text:
FDA proposes rule for safer pet food
Special to the Courier
In 2007, thousands of dogs and cats died due to food contamination. It took nearly a month of reporting before the cause of the contamination was discovered and a product recall was announced.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has stepped up with its recent proposal of new safety regulations for pet food manufacturers, which mimics regulations for manufacturers of human food. The proposal ensures that manufacturers become proactive. The current system is reactive and kicks in only after lives are lost.
As an apparent follow-up their recent progress report on what is killing and sickening dogs that consume chicken jerky treats made in China, the FDA issued a proposed rule under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act aimed at improving the safety of food for animals.
Issued on Oct. 25, the proposed regulation designed to prevent foodborne illness in both animals and people is open for public comments for 120 days. The proposal is included as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which focuses on preventing food safety problems rather than responding to problems after the fact.
The proposed rule would require manufacturers of animal feed and pet food available for purchase in the US to develop a formal plan and have in place procedures to prevent foodborne illness. The rule would also require manufacturers to have plans for correcting any problems that arise.
And, for the first time, animal food facilities would be required to follow proposed current good manufacturing practices, including sanitation.
"The FDA continues to take steps to meet the challenge of ensuring a safe food supply," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD. "This announcement addresses a critical part of the food system, and we will continue to work with our national and international industry, consumer and government partners as we work to prevent foodborne illness."
The proposed rule would help ensure the safety of food for animals and prevent the transmission of agents in food for animals that could cause foodborne illness in both animals and people. People can get sick by handling contaminated food, including pet food.
The FDA will hold three public meetings on the Proposed Rule for Preventive Controls for Animal Food Facilities - Nov. 21 at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in College Park, Maryland; Nov. 25 at the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago, Illinoise; and Dec. 6, at the John E. Moss Federal Building in Sacramento, California. For more information, visit http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm247568.htm.


text:
Crypto trade Kraken is reportedly below federal investigation for allegedly violating a US sanction in opposition to Iran.
The US has imposed restrictions on actions with Iran following the hostage disaster on the American embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Consequently, US-based companies aren’t allowed to purchase or promote items to anybody within the Center Japanese nation.
Kraken is reportedly suspected of violating this sanction.
Citing unnamed folks affiliated with the trade or who’re accustomed to the matter, The New York Occasions experiences that the Treasury Division’s Workplace of Overseas Property Management (OFAC) has been investigating Kraken since 2019 for allegedly permitting Iran-based customers to purchase and promote digital belongings.
The OFAC administers and enforces the financial and commerce sanctions imposed by the US.
The report says that Kraken will doubtless get fined, which is able to make the $11-billion non-public firm the most important US-based crypto agency to face enforcement motion from the company.
A Treasury spokeswoman says that the company is dedicated to implementing sanctions that defend nationwide safety however didn’t verify the alleged investigation.
Marco Santori, Kraken’s chief authorized officer, says that the corporate doesn’t give touch upon particular regulator discussions, however says that the trade complies with sanction legal guidelines.
“Kraken carefully displays compliance with sanctions legal guidelines and, as a normal matter, experiences to regulators even potential points.”
Do not Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get crypto electronic mail alerts delivered on to your inbox
Test Value Motion
Comply with us on Twitter, Fb and Telegram
Surf The Every day Hodl Combine
Featured Picture: Shutterstock/ittoilmatar


text:
Hackers targeting money are not something new. The way they target differs with improvements in technology. To alert users during a fraudulent transaction from a stolen credit card, Banks used to send a message alert to the victims to confirm whether the transaction was initiated by the users. Threat actors are now spoofing these message alerts to make illegal money transfers.
As per the recent FBI’s Public Service Announcement, Hackers have been sending a spoofed message alert asking if the user-initiated any transaction with a digital payment app. If the victim responds to the alert, the victim gets a call from a number that appears to be a legitimate 1-800 number. By pretending to reverse transfer the fake transaction, hackers trick the users to transfer money to the bank accounts which are owned by the threat actors.
Message and Method
Hackers use a combination of Phishing and Social engineering for this attack. Both of these attacks have a high success ratio. Threat actors send these messages to the customers of financial institutions. The method used in this attack is sophisticated for victims to tell the difference between a fake and legitimate.
“Free Msg- (Insert financial institution name here) Bank Fraud Alert- Did You Attempt an Instant Payment in the amount of $5,000.00? REPLY YES or NO or 1 To STOP ALERTS”
Victims’ financial institution name differs based on their bank account information. If the victims reply “NO” to this message, they receive the following message.
Our fraud specialist will be contacting you shortly
When threat actors make the call, they speak fluent English just like a customer support specialist would speak. They gain credibility with the victim by telling their financial institution’s name and they are from the fraud department. After credibility is earned, they guide the user to several steps for reversing the payment.
Hackers involved in these activities seem to have well researched about whom they are going to contact, their past address, social security number, and their credit card last four digit numbers. Most of all they make the call from the financial institution’s 1-800 number which makes it completely invisible for the victim to have a suspicion.
After they confirm the victim with their personal information, they use the legitimate bank website or application and instruct the victim to remove their email address from their digital payments app. After this, the attackers ask for the victim’s email address which they add to the bank account controlled by them.
After this, they tell the victim that once the victim initiates a self-transfer in the digital payments app, it will cancel or reverse the fraudulent transaction. Believing this, the victims think that they are initiating a self-transfer but originally the transfer is sent to the hacker-controlled bank account. Sometimes, hackers even engage for several days with the victims. Victims realize only after they check their bank accounts.
To protect from these hackers,
- Do not reply to an unsolicited email or message directly even though it seems legitimate from the financial institution
- If a text is received, contact the financial institution through a verified number and do not use the number mentioned in the text
- Enable MFA in all the financial institutions and do not share the codes or passwords over the phone
- Banks never request to make a self-transfer for fraudulent transactions
- Even if they confirm your personal details, understand that recent data breaches have leaked a lot of customer data which are used by threat actors for scams like this.


text:
NDRC, the investor in early stage digital companies, has announced the launch of its Spring 2018 Investment Programme for startups.
Successful companies will secure investment of between €30,000 and €100,000, per venture, over the programme. They will also receive expert mentoring in customer discovery, business model design, sales and growth tactics, finance, investment, technology, marketing, design and communications.
Upon completion of the programme, the ventures whose ideas have been commercially validated, and are deemed by NDRC to be investor ready, will receive finishing supports, including the potential for further investment and a programme of dedicated investor relations activity.
History of success
Successful companies in the NDRC portfolio have raised in excess of €152m as at the end of 2016.
Entry to all NDRC programmes is extremely competitive and initial applications should be made by the end of November by clicking this link.
If you are interested in applying, but would like to speak with someone from NDRC's Venture Investment Team, please fill in the following web form.
NDRC’s portfolio of digital companies over the last ten years includes Nuritas, Logentries, Bizimply, Boxever, Plynk, SilverCloud and TandemHR. These companies went on to receive millions of euros in follow-on investment from both Irish and international investors.
Typically, less than 10 per cent of those who apply to NDRC secure a place.
Heart of the business
Ben Hurley, CEO NDRC, said: “We invest and build startups with digital technology at the heart of the business but are very much looking for founders from a variety of backgrounds – industry, corporate and research.
“Digital is impacting every business and every sector and we are seeking people who have seen a problem in their area of expertise be it health, finance, HR or others and think there may be a digital solution with international growth potential.”
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to pitch to NDRC between at the start of December and offers will be made by end of December. The Accelerator Programme will then commence at the beginning of February. NDRC’s investment team is also holding open Office Hours to meet prospective applicants.
NDRC has a mandate from the State (Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment) to make commercial investments, ensuring that digital entrepreneurship is at the centre of Ireland’s economic agenda.
NDRC is an early stage investor in tech companies and startups. NDRC’s digital ventures cross a range of industry sectors. It invests primarily using an accelerator, providing modest amounts of capital and high amounts of hands on support to early stage digital companies.
NDRC’s work supports economic activity and jobs creation in Ireland – helping to ensure digital entrepreneurship becomes embedded in the culture of the economy. The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment is NDRC’s funding partner.


text:
Much more from
- Lucinda O’Brien
- Ian Ramsay
- Paul Ali
- Credit rules
- Customers protection
- Customers benefit
- Law Reforms
All of our latest article a€?One-Stop Shop: Consumer Credit Issued in the aim of deal’ may be the earliest scholarly research of point-of-sale credit score rating to be released around australia. Point-of-sale credit is offered by a business directly to the clients, on behalf of a third-party loan provider, to allow these users to find items or services from the businesses. This might make type that loan or a consumer rental, occasionally generally a a€?rent to get’ plan. This may also feel granted by means of credit cards supporting the business’s brand name. In 2013, the Treasury estimated there had been more than 12,000 merchandising organizations and more than 600 car dealerships involved with promoting these credit score rating in Australia.
Today, point-of-sale credit score rating are excused from customers protections that apply to maximum forms of credit around australia. This routine imposes both general make commitments and a€?responsible financing’ obligations on credit services. It will require service providers to act a€?efficiently, genuinely and pretty’ and also to examine customers’ individual situations, to make sure that they aren’t supplied credit improper their wants. Whenever these guidelines were passed last year, the exemption of point-of-sale credit is throw as a brief phase measure, designed to assist retailers and automobile dealerships inside their recuperation from the international economic crisis. But subsequent proposals to get rid of the exemption has came across with strong resistance from business organizations, particularly those representing automobile dealerships. These dealerships get significant income from promoting car finance on-site. They argue that getting rid of the exemption would demand an excessive administrative burden on the organizations, intimidating their viability.
Despite these arguments, successive studies posses called for the repeal of this point-of-sale credit exemption. The exemption was scrutinised from the Treasury, the Royal fee into Misconduct inside Banking, Superannuation and Investment solutions market, and, most recently, a Senate query. All three are finding that, because of its less stringent legislation, point-of-sale credit presents threats to people. They’ve got observed that enterprises bring an incentive to acquire these types of credit for his or her people so that you can enable business, even in the event their clients cannot afford to settle their own loans. These lenders supply a desire for motivating their customers to inquire higher credit score rating limits, whether or not this is certainly very likely to result in them economic hurt. In 2019, the regal payment ideal the abolition of point-of-sale exemption to purchase deeper defense to people.
In May 2020, the Australian federal government established its intent to apply the Royal percentage’s suggestion. As of yet, but no these types of rules has been launched to Parliament. Rather, in December 2020, the us government launched laws to repeal much of the accountable credit regimen. To promote financial gains, it proposed a significant reduction in the rules of all kinds of credit, with unique safeguards for a€?high possibilities’ goods such as payday advances. Despite strong lobbying from finance field, the federal government has not yet earned sufficient help for the Senate to pass through this guidelines. It’s got Maryland title loans deferred discussion from the proposals until later on in 2021.
From this backdrop, our post report the results of some focus communities examining the impact of point-of-sale credit score rating on susceptible consumers. Performed during the early 2020, these focus teams received about knowledge of monetary counsellors, lawyers and coverage staff members offering expert services in consumer law. Members asserted that quite a few of their clients had experienced severe financial hardship through using point-of-sale credit score rating, specially store-branded charge cards. They associated a number of samples of this type of credit score rating on offer in inappropriate circumstances, at highest rates or with needlessly high credit restrictions. They asserted that their customers happened to be frequently caused to try to get these types of credit, so that you can pick items that they wouldn’t wanted or could not manage. Some said they’d viewed point-of-sale credit score rating offered in fraudulent circumstances, with businesses purposely overstating their clients’ incomes. Several expressed the scene that the form of credit is particularly damaging to low income and prone customers, such as social security users, recent migrants and subjects of residential physical violence. They said they’d viewed instances of female being forced to get point-of-sale credit so that you can purchase automobiles or any other expensive things for abusive partners.
All of our article concludes that customers would be best supported because of the storage of responsible financing statutes, appropriate to all credit, and abolition from the point-of-sale credit score rating exemption. It argues that, even if the liable credit regime was repealed, the government should honour its commitment to abolishing the exemption. This will bring point-of-sale credit in the ambit associated with the brand-new, a€?streamlined’ credit rating regime, that would always manage some vital protections to consumers. During these situation, the content contends, the us government should present further safeguards to mitigate exclusive risks posed by on-site car finance and store-branded credit cards.
Lucinda O’Brien are a study guy in the middle for Corporate legislation, Melbourne laws School, during the college of Melbourne.
Ian Ramsay may be the Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Emeritus and movie director from the Centre for Corporate laws, Melbourne Law School, college of Melbourne.


text:
Coker releases 65 Series BFG Redline Radials
Coker Tire Co. Inc.’s new 65 Series BFGoodrich Redline Radials are true production redline tires. They sport a 3/8-inch raised redline design with a wide, low profile "for a meaner, performance-oriented stance," reports the company.
“If you’ve got a 30- to 40-year old muscle car and want to upgrade it with authentic redline tires, newly constructed with the reliability of modern materials and manufacturing technologies, there is nothing to compare to these beauties,” says Corky Coker, president of Coker Tire Co.
“We have gone to great lengths to ensure that our tires deliver the look and feel of the original, but we’ve integrated the safety aspects of a modern tire, so drivers can be confident at today’s highway speeds.”
The BFG 65 Series Redline Radials are S-speed rated and carry a 540 BB UTQG rating
In addition to its 65 Series BFG Redline Radials, Coker Tire also stocks 70 Series BFG Redline Radials.
For more information, visit www.coker.com.


text:
Apple introduced a new TV set top box that is responsive to voice commands as well as new iPhones which sense the pressure of a finger tap. However, social media commenters and investors were notably underwhelmed by the demonstration despite massive hype in the lead up to Apple’s yearly product unveiling.
CEO Tim Cook spoke in front of thousands of analysts, journalists, and Apple employees about Apple’s quest to conquer the workplace as well as the living room. Perhaps the most interesting moment was when he brought an executive of rival Microsoft on stage in order to demonstrate the business-friendly features of the new iPad Pro. The new, much larger tablet, runs Microsoft Office.
Yet investors were not impressed, as Apple shares fell 1.9% to $110.15 by yesterday’s close. This result seems to reflect the lack of transformative products by Apple. According to BTIG research data, shares of Apple have fallen by an average of 0.4% on the day of iPhone announcements over the past three years, making yesterday’s drop significant.
The newly released iPhones, the 6S and 6S Plus, are the same size as the previous version, but are equipped with a better camera and faster chips. They also come in new colors, and they feature what Apple refers to as “3D Touch”. Many analysts stated that the 3D Touch was not a good enough reason to upgrade to the new iPhones, raising concerns about sales estimates.
The iPad Pro also received few cheers, as many believed that it was too big and overly similar to Microsoft’s Surface tablet. The iPad Pro features a 12.9 inch screen and performance similar to that of a desktop computer. It also functions with an optional stylus referred to as the “Pencil”, which costs $99. The iPad Pro starts at $799.
In the midst of the mundane, it was AppleTV that really stole the show. The product, which has been called a “hobby” by Apple, will receive its own app store, and it will function with Apple’s digital assistant “Siri”. Twitter user Ethan Anderton wrote, “I’m all about this new #AppleTV. Shut up and take my money.”
Other users were joking that they would have to purchase a TV for the first time in order to make use of the Siri remote and the app store.
Yet even with AppleTV, which joins a crowded field including Netflix, Roku, Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV, the reaction was decidedly wait and see.
Notably absent from the new TV interface was any sort of promise for new content, a hallmark of competitors like Netflix and Amazon. The lack of content comes despite well publicized efforts from Apple to negotiate deals with a greater variety of television networks to provide live or on-demand content.
In the streaming media market, Apple is falling behind. According to research firm Parks Associates, almost 20% of broadband households in the United States own at least one media player that streams online content. One-third of all streaming devices are Roku, which leads the charge. In second place is Google’s Chromecast, followed by the Fire TV from Amazon. The Apple TV is in fourth place.
Also mentioned at the conference was the popular Apple Watch. Tim Cook stated that customer satisfaction for the watch was at 97%. He went on to add that a new version of its operating system would be released by mid-September and that Facebook Messenger will soon be available on the device. Apple is currently working with French luxury goods maker Hermes in order to release a new watch collection.
Apple shares are currently up roughly 12% from last year, but they have fallen by about 14% over the previous three months as investors take a wait and see approach about Apple’s transition from smartphone maker to king of the living room.


text:
Although Mac users are more likely to experience virus-free computing than Windows PC owners, there is nothing inherently more secure about Apple's operating system, and in certain respects Mac OS X is more vulnerable than Windows, a security expert ...
Three Romanian men and one Austrian man were indicted on Monday by U.S. federal prosecutors for allegedly stealing more than US$1.5 million by cloning payment cards with stolen account information.
Hacker group Anonymous has come out in support of a civil movement against corruption in India by hacking one of the websites of a government IT organization.
In an acknowledgement of the severity of its recent computer compromise, RSA Security said Monday that it will replace SecureID tokens for any customer that asks.
The legal framework in which businesses operate their IT and data security is "totally outdated" and dates "from the 20th Century, while attempting to tackle problems in the 21st", according to a panel of experts.
Hundreds of popular websites -- including Google, Facebook, Yahoo and Bing -- are participating in a 24-hour trial of a new Internet standard called IPv6 on June 8, prompting worries that hackers will exploit weaknesses in this emerging technology to...
A security researcher who says he's found serious problems with Siemens computers used in power plants and heavy industry is now expecting to go public with his research at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas.
With the unveiling of its iCloud service today, Apple is hoping you’ll like the new MobileMe.
When Google announced that hackers had gone after Gmail users, the company noted that they specifically targeted U.S. government officials and military personnel.
Scareware makers on Friday again changed their fake security software scam, while Apple issued the third signature update in as many days to combat the con.
Hacking group Lulz Security claimed it had hacked and defaced the web site of the Atlanta chapter of InfraGard, an organization affiliated to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, and leaked its user base.
Yes. As unbelievable as it may seem, Sony was hacked again. It is not (entirely) Sony's fault that it is the target du jour for hackers everywhere. But, it is Sony's fault that its networks and servers seem to be trivial to hack and easy to pwn.
Hacking group Pakistan Cyber Army Friday claimed it had broken into an Acer server in Europe and stole personal data on about 40,000 people.
It's not such a happy time over at Sony these days thanks to the bull's-eye on its back.
A few computer clicks is all it takes to learn if you were a victim of the Sony Pictures hack attack, but be careful.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Windows 8.1 tablet
- 2 Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5) 4G review
- 3 TomTom Runner Cardio GPS watch
- 4 LG G3 review
- 5 Nokia Lumia 930 review
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- iPhone 6 expected to fetch over $3,000 in China's grey market
- New US Senate bill aims to limit access to emails stored abroad
- Malicious advertisements distributed by DoubleClick, Zedo networks
- Apple iPhone 6 hands-on
- Google to turn on encryption by default in next Android version
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


text:
For the first time since the soviet period, the Abkhazian Chamber of Control has decided to find out the number enterprises that are still on balance. Three-month audit has revealed that the total number of available plans or factories amounts to 24. None of them is operating. As head of the Chamber of Control, Robert Arshba stated, “the enterprises have been leased out.
Commenting on the leasing, Arshba said that “it has not always been effective. As it has turned out, huge warehouses of the soviet plants and factories are rented out at the price of a single-bedroom apartment in Sukhum/i suburbs – RUB 3-10 thousand (approx.US $40-150). Thus, the auditor’s phrase “has not always been effective sounds more than merciful.
A list of audited enterprises includes Sukhum/i garment and tobacco factories, a meat-processing plant, a chemical plant, some tea factories, located in different districts, and several enterprises that Abkhazia has inherited from the soviet system. They practically do not function according to their initial profile.
In the soviet time all these plans and factories were prosperous, they over-executed plans, were awarded with red challenge banners of winners of the soviet competitions. The Soviet Union’s huge market did not get stuck on the products’ quality and absorbed everything that the enterprises produced. The previous strength of Abkhazian plants and factories turned out into the dust after the super state had disintegrated. Possibly, it would not have happened and a part of the enterprises would have been running if their management had changed its activity in conformity with the new market’s game rules. Regrettably, it did not happen so (except for Sukhum/i wine factory and brewery).
It is noteworthy that plants, where rather substantial sums had been invested, turned out to be among neglected enterprises, inherited by Abkhazia from the soviet industry. For example, Sukhum/i dairy plant.
In 2012, RUB118 million (approx. US$4 million against RUB rate in 2012) were invested at expense of Russia’s financial assistance. The dairy plant worked only for a year after the complete overhaul, it closed, having lost a competition with the dairy products importers.
In the opinion of Adgur Ardzinba, the Minister of Economy, a lack of the local raw materials was the main problem that the plant was facing. The plant had to purchase raw materials abroad and that, naturally, increased the production prime cost.
At present, the plant, that is equipped with advanced technologies, is standing idle and its repaired premises have been rented out for warehouses.
At the end of September, Tatarstan President, Rustam Minnikhanov visited Abkhazia. He manifested particular interest in the milk plant. According to the official reports, negotiations with Tatarstan on putting the plant into operation are underway. Having taken on lease the enterprise, Tatarstan is supposed to deliver raw materials and products will be sold at the local market.
Economy Minister, Adgur Ardzinba pledged to carry out comprehensive changes after shocking results of the audit had been publicized. At the same time he says directors of the enterprises seriously oppose these changes.
Most directors have been heading the enterprises for over ten years. The managers have got used to consider these enterprises to be their property; though, officially, the plants and factories are state-owned. At some enterprises directorship is transferred from a father to a son, a son-in-law, to a brother and the state has not resisted it until recently.
These objects transference to private possession may become a way out from this situation, but the law does not allow privatizing such huge enterprises. However, each rule has exclusion. Having passed a separate law, a concrete object may be sold to a private entrepreneur.
Enterprise managers try to use a political factor to defend themselves in paper, they claim, they are sacked because they are the present opposition’s supporters.
For example, dismissal of director of the unitary enterprise “Abkhazberegozashita (Abkhaz coast protection), Maxim Kharchilava, caused a great resonance. The enterprise builds bridges and strengthens river banks.
The opposition has tied this decision with Kharchilava’s political points of view as he is a member of the oppositional Amtsakhara party.
According to Economy Minister, Adgur Ardzinba, despite the managers’ discontent, dismissals continue, “We will not allow anyone to use the state-owned property this way. If each ineffective manager claims for a political dissident’s status after he is sacked, we would hardly build a state, he said.