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The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has launched a powerful new marketing channel for the dissemination of industry news to promote diamonds in a tie-up with the Diamond Producers Association (DPA).
WFDB President Ernie Blom said the new initiative would help spread positive news about diamonds and create a unified response to help counter negative advertising by the lab-grown diamond sector and prevent confusion among consumers.
"We have set up a WFDB Whatsapp group of all the directors of the WFDB's 29 affiliated member bourses," explained Blom. "If every bourse director broadcasts the content to all of his/her many contacts, we will have an initial target of 25,000 people who are active in the diamond trade, which is an excellent start. From there, we expect to see the figure to grow organically and to rise extremely quickly."
He added that аll the content created by the DPA for digital use will be shared on Whatsapp initially, though this could move to a different social media vehicle if it is considered more efficient and provides for greater dissemination.
"The emergence of laboratory-grown diamonds (LGDs) in global markets, especially in the US, has created a need to clearly differentiate natural diamonds from LGDs in the minds of consumers through targeted communications and education. Moreover, many LGD marketers have been communicating deceptively about their product and natural diamonds, which warrants a collective industry response as the consumer is becoming increasingly confused.
The debate on LGDs should in our case become a 'unifier'. The whole trade, from small to medium to large corporations including miners, should stand together," Blom wrote in the latest Blog article from the WFDB President.


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Customers bought more Whoppers, Cheesy Bacon BK Wrappers and crispy chicken sandwiches in the fourth quarter, driving Burger King’s profit up 42 percent.
Miami-based Burger King Holdings Inc. said it earned $51 million, or 37 cents per share, in the April-to-June quarter, up from $36 million, or 26 cents per share, a year earlier. That beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations by 3 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters.
Revenue rose 9 percent to $646 million from $590 million.
Sales in restaurants open at least a year, a key indicator of performance, jumped 5.3 percent worldwide and climbed 5.5 percent in the U.S. and Canada.
Goldman Sachs analyst Steven T. Kron said in a note to investors he was “impressed by Burger King’s ability to drive top-line growth around the globe.”
The sales boost came close to matching that of the chain’s biggest rival, McDonald’s Corp., which reported a rise of 6.1 percent worldwide in its latest quarter.
Burger King said promotions – including one for the Whopper tied to the Indiana Jones movie “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – and new breakfast and kids menu items helped increase sales.
The chain also said extended hours at its U.S. locations added to sales there. The company has mandated that its franchise locations open early and stay open late to match efforts by competitors to entice more early risers and night owls.
A number of franchisees have balked, saying sales during those times do not cover the costs of staying open or the risk to their employees’ safety.
Besides the extended hours and promotions, Burger King said the addition of 110 restaurants worldwide added to overall revenue.
But profit margins were lower than expected due to $4.3 million in remodeling expenses and high food, paper and product costs. Chief Financial Officer Ben Wells said beef costs alone jumped 11 percent during the quarter.

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LAST WEEK South Africans were once again alerted to the news that two of the countries largest consumer credit reporting agencies, Transunion and Experian, faced yet another cyber security breach with the last one having occurred in 2017.
The hacker group N4ughtySecTU, who claimed responsibility for the previous breach, once again announced that they managed to infiltrate the agencies’ databases and have acquired consumer credit information for millions of South Africans.
The hackers have demanded a ransom of $60 million (roughly R1.1 billion) from the two agencies to stop them from releasing this private data to the rest of the cyber underworld where it can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, increased scam attacks on users and much more. While both Transunion and Experian have maintained that there is no evidence of a breach on either of their systems, just the mere threat of an imposed breach poses significant concern, especially considering the nature of the data involved.
However, as serious as this threat is, it is not an isolated event. Ransomware attacks have been an increasingly growing concern in South Africa with more and more businesses and individuals coming under attack of late.
These attacks usually involve accessing business systems, extracting and encrypting their data and essentially holding the information hostage until a ransom is paid, usually in cryptocurrency such as bitcoin which can be virtually untraceable. Legally, ransomware attacks are considered cyber extortion and fraud, however the South African courts have yet to convict a cybercriminal under the Cybercrimes Act of 2013 for such an attack.
Businesses victimised by ransomware face a delicate balance. They have an obligation to protect their users’ information and data under the Popia act while being simultaneously coerced by attackers threatening to release, publish or erase sensitive data.
If you find yourself in such a predicament, you are required by law to make several notifications including to the owners of the data involved, the information regulator and to the South African Police Services.
It is advisable to never try and deal with a Cybersecurity threat on your own but to make sure you engage with the right professionals such as Forensic Investigators, PR Professionals and Legal Counsel.
So, you are probably asking yourself, “how do I avoid falling victim to such attacks?”
Here are my top 5 tips to ensure you keep yourself and your data safe:
Be sceptical of unsolicited emails: These are often disguised as enticing offers from Takealot or gift vouchers from supermarkets such as Pick n Pay or Spar. South Africans are also experiencing an increase in emails that appear to be official communication banks or the Post Office. These links are a common tactic used by cyber criminals to get unauthorized access to systems.
Use reliable security software: Invest in trusted antivirus and anti-malware solutions. These tools can detect and block ransomware and other threats.
Educate employees and family members: Awareness is key. Ensure that everyone who uses your network understands the risks and knows how to identify potential threats. Also, update your passwords regularly and use 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) where possible
Be wary of public wi-fi: Avoid conducting sensitive transactions or accessing important data when connected to public Wi-Fi networks.
Update software regularly: Ensure that all your software, especially security software, is up to date. Regular updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities.
In this digital-first era, our computers and cellphones are treasure troves of personal information that cyber criminals would love to get their hands on. They provide access to our contacts, banking services, personal documents, and much more, which is all the more reason that we adopt proactive measures to ensure the safety of our digital assets.
Remember, the security of your digital life is in your hands. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your in the ever-evolving digital world.
With more than 20 years of experience as a techpreneur and digital solutions strategist, Joel Moodley harbours a deep passion for all things tech related, including the evolving world of AI.


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Javed Afridi who created a buzz earlier this month asking for his followers’ opinion regarding the introduction of Tesla in Pakistan has now revealed that Prime Minister Imran Khan himself will be meeting with Tesla executives to discuss the launch of electric cars in the country.
According to renowned TV anchor & journalist Sabir Shakir, Javed Afridi already had a couple of meetings with Tesla executives who have expressed an interest in investing in the Pakistani automotive market. However, the greatest development is that PM Imran Khan himself will meet the executives from Tesla and discuss the possibility of introducing electric cars in Pakistan.
Pakistan recently approved the first-ever electric vehicle policy in a bid to promote EVs in the country. The policy offers various incentives on electric vehicles, which includes:
- No Additional Customs Duty (ACD) on the import of EVs
- No Advanced Sales Tax (AST) on the import of EVs
- Only 1% tax levied on the import of EV parts for manufacturers
- Only 1% sales tax for locally made EVs up to 50kwh and light commercial vehicles up to 150 kwh
- Only 1% duty on import of charging equipment
- No Federal Excise Duty (FED) on EVs
- Duty free import of plant and machinery for manufacturing of EVs
- No registration and annual renewal fee for EVs in Islamabad
A recent development has revealed that Prime Minister Imran Khan will meet with the executives at Tesla Motors to discuss investment opportunities in Pakistani Electric Vehicle (EV) market. pic.twitter.com/hf5TyrLRIc
— Developing Pakistan (@DevelopmentPk) January 18, 2021
Reportedly, the government is also working on to set up EV charging infrastructure across the country to help boost the use of electric vehicles. Furthermore government is also planning electrification of the public transport sector which will see nearly 40% of public buses to be converted into EVs with the next 10 years.
Responding to the news coverage, Javed Afridi has tweeted “InshaAllah” to further accentuate his ambitions on the introduction of EVs. Whether Tesla will actually step in our market, we will have to wait to find out, but the developments are interesting for sure.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com


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Call it the “tech wreck” or the “great rotation,” but investors’ pivot to value and cyclical stocks since mid-February has left many leading technology stocks gasping for air. Stock prices for some of the biggest names in technology have stagnated at best or suffered steep declines at worst as investors flee high-growth names in favor of stocks likely to do well as the global economy resumes running at full tilt.
There are many technology stocks that still have a ton of upside left. Here are four of them.
High inflation has only accelerated the move out of technology stocks. But while understandable, the current shift doesn’t make a ton of sense when we evaluate company fundamentals and long-term investment potential.
Tech Stocks to Buy Today: Amazon (AMZN)
It’s hard to ignore online retailer Amazon’s runaway success and market dominance. Consider that Amazon now earns more than $100 million in revenue each quarter and continues to grow despite its leading market share. It’s difficult to bet against the Seattle-based company that began life in the 1990s as an online seller of books.
For this year’s first quarter, Amazon reported that its revenue rose 44% to $108.52 billion. Earnings came in at $15.79 per share versus $9.54 that analysts had expected. That marks the second consecutive quarter that Amazon earned more than $100 billion of revenue.
And despite its mindboggling growth and success, the company provided bullish forward guidance. Amazon forecasts that its sales will be between $110 billion and $116 billion for the current second quarter that ends June 30.
Outside of its core retail business, Amazon’s cloud-computing business continue to boom. Amazon Web Services saw net sales of $13.5 billion during the first quarter, up 32% year-over-year. Oh, and “Prime Day” is scheduled to take place this June, which will likely give the company’s spring sales an even bigger boost.
Despite its success, AMZN stock is only up 1% year-to-date at $3,222.90. Analysts agree that the share price is currently undervalued, and have a median price target on them of $4,175.00, for a potential future gain of 30%.
If you’re looking for a true tech stock bargain, check out Zillow. The Seattle-based online real estate marketplace continues to report impressive earnings, but its stock price has been sliding downwards.
Since mid-February, ZG stock has declined 47% and now trades around $113 a share. This is well below the median price target of $188 on Zillow stock and quite near the lowest analyst estimate of $110 per share.
ZG stock has been hurt by the rotation out of technology growth stocks despite the fact that the company reported first-quarter revenue of $1.2 billion and net income of $52 million, both above analyst expectations. Traffic to Zillow’s apps and websites stood at 221 million average monthly unique users in the first quarter, up 15% from a year earlier.
The hot residential real estate market is a huge boon for Zillow and increasing use of Internet to buy and sell homes is a trend unlikely to reverse.
The iPhone super cycle is real and driving Apple sales to new heights around the world. The 5G Internet-enabled iPhone 12 is a blockbuster product for Apple and its sales have been going gangbusters since it launched last fall. As a result, Apple reported that its quarterly revenue rose 54% from the same period in 2020.
Strong sales of iPad tablets and Mac computers also boosted revenue in the quarter. The Cupertino, California-based company reported fiscal second-quarter sales of $89.6 billion, up 54% from a year earlier and well ahead of analyst expectations of $77.3 billion in revenue.
Apple’s quarterly profit came in at $1.40 a share, also topping Wall Street estimates. The world’s largest technology company has mostly thrived during the pandemic as people work and learn from home, driving demand for iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.
Demand for 5G iPhones is expected to remain strong and Apple continues to diversify with Apple TV and other subscription-based offerings. The company announced that it is increasing its dividend by 7% and increasing its share buyback program by $90 billion this year, which should be music to investors’ ears.
Despite all the success and good news, APPL stock has defied logic and is actually down 1.5% year-to-date at $127.45 a share. The stock has been largely stuck in neutral since it split on a 4-for-1 basis last August. The current slump isn’t likely to last though.
The median analyst price target calls for Apple stock to reach $160 within the next 12 months, for a potential upside of 25%. The high target on the shares is $185.
Teledoc Health (TDOC)
For another seriously beaten down tech stock, look no further than Teledoc Health. This Purchase, New York-based company specializes in telemedicine and virtual healthcare, and as can be expected, business boomed over the past year during the global pandemic. This year though, TDOC stock has been crushed by investors’ rotation into value and cyclical stocks.
Since mid-February, Teledoc Health’s stock has been beaten down 55% and now sits at just under $140 per share. The depreciation of TDOC stock came after the company said it anticipates revenue growth slowing this year as the pandemic recedes.
However, most analysts agree that telemedicine and virtual consultations with physicians are here to stay, and the industry is only expected to grow in coming years. Last year (2020), the global telemedicine market size was estimated at $55.9 billion and is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.4% between now and 2028.
Teledoc Health is an industry leader and well-positioned to capitalize on that growth.
On the date of publication, Joel Baglole held long positions in APPL and ZG . The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Joel Baglole has been a business journalist for 20 years. He spent five years as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, and has also written for The Washington Post and Toronto Star newspapers, as well as financial websites such as The Motley Fool and Investopedia.


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All the news, tactics and scams for finance leaders to know about in November 2023.
Payment Security 101
Learn about payment fraud and how to prevent it
After releasing a report that indicates customers overwhelmingly wear the burden of scams, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has called for major banks to improve approaches to protecting customers from scams.
Report 761, Scam prevention, detection and response by the four major banks, revealed that bank customers account for 96% of total scam losses across the banks. And, collectively, the banks detected and stopped a small proportion – approximately 13% – of scam payments.
The numbers are worrying because they indicate a rise in scams, yet there’s scattered improvement in banks’ approaches to them. According to the ASIC’s review, more than 31,700 customers of the four major banks collectively lost more than $558 million through scams between 2021 and 2022 – a 50% increase in financial losses compared to the previous 12-month period. Banks only paid about $21 million in reimbursement or compensation payments for victims during the same period.
Let’s take a closer look at the report and what it means for you.
The report concludes that banks’ overall approaches to scams strategy and governance are variable and less mature than expected, with narrow approaches to determining liability.
The assessment found that victims weren’t always well supported by their banks after a loss occurred. Resourcing problems meant that cases weren’t always resolved promptly, while unclear processes created inconsistent or even bad customer experiences.
Incident response isn’t the only problem area according to ASIC’s review – so is prevention. While the banks have taken steps to prevent customers from falling victim to scams, the report found that emerging good practices were inconsistent, and it recommends that banks further evolve their scam management practices to help prevent customers from falling victim.
Deputy chair of ASIC Sarah Court has recommended that banks reconsider their response methods to reduce further distress and help customers manage the situation. She also highlighted the need for banks to inform and educate customers better and take steps to evolve their scam management practices.
Court has also emphasised the importance of collaboration between financial institutions, telecommunication providers, digital platforms, and other organisations to combat scams at the source.
The report acknowledged that banks have recently strengthened their anti-scam efforts, but these aren’t yet adequate to protect against scam techniques that are becoming more sophisticated and leveraging fast-advancing technologies. Advocating for further steps, the report provides suggestions and guidance for evolving banks’ anti-scam strategies and protections.
Certainly, the industry will need to keep making changes that protect their customers amid a rapidly changing threat environment, one where scammers are constantly hunting for new ways to bilk victims out of their money. But the takeaway for finance leaders is that customers can’t simply rely on banks to protect them from these scammers.
While stronger anti-fraud measures are crucial, there are a variety of logistical, operational barriers that make it challenging for banks to offer significant protection for customers anytime soon. Leaders who want to protect their organisation’s financial health should be looking for additional layers of protection.
One way to defend your organisation is to reevaluate your financial controls. Many controls are designed for analogue fraud instead of the growing number of online scams and tactics, creating gaps that a new generation of online fraudsters are extremely happy to exploit.
With cybercrime on the rise, it’s critical to know what finance leaders are (and aren’t) doing to protect their organisations from digital …
Eftsure provides continuous control monitoring to protect your eft payments. Our multi-factor verification approach protects your organisation from financial loss due to cybercrime, fraud and error.


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Amazon and GoPro are suing nine defendants over allegations that they tried to sell counterfeit GoPro accessories on Amazon.com, in violation of copyright laws.
The lawsuit, filed in March in U.S. District Court in Seattle, it was open on monday morning, making the allegations public for the first time.
Counterfeit items included GoPro’s “Handler” floating grip, 3-position grip, extension arm, and tripod mount, as indicated in a company statement.
“As a result of their unlawful actions, Defendants have infringed and abused GoPro’s intellectual property, intentionally misled and damaged Amazon, GoPro, and their customers, compromised the integrity of the Amazon store, and undermined the trust that the customers deposit with Amazon and GoPro “. read the complaint.
It is the latest in a series of legal actions and programs by Amazon to combat counterfeiting, part of an ongoing effort by the company to show that it is serious about fighting counterfeit products sold on its platform. Amazon said in May that it blocked more than 10 billion suspicious ads before they were published in its stores last year.


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Aldi Sud’s UK supermarkets have reportedly dropped Yorkshire smoked salmon supplier Bleiker’s Smokehouse.
Undercurrent News reported that sources have confirmed the supplier was abruptly dropped by the supermarket chain but did not state an explanation for the termination of the relationship.
The smokehouse, based in Northallerton, Yorkshire secured a contract to supply salmon to Aldi back in 2016, announcing at the time that it needed more employees to cope with the increase demand for its products.
Alongside Aldi, Bleiker’s Smokehouse supplied goods to other UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, as well as multiple local stores. The company’s salmon was still listed as available online via Sainsbury’s Tesco and Waitrose, as of 11th April.
In its latest filing with Companies House, Bleiker’s Smokehouse reported sales revenue of £14.1 million (€16.9 million) for the 12 months ended 30 April 2021, versus £20.5 million (€24.5 million) for the year ended 30 April 2020. The company’s gross profit margin increased from 17.3 percent to 19.1 percent in that period. Bleiker’s Smokehouse reported an increased operating profit of £373,000 (€446,480), compared to £370,000 (€442,890) in the previous period.
When SalmonBusiness asked Bleiker’s Smokehouse for comment by email, the company failed to respond. In a phone call with a Bleiker’s Smokehouse employee, SalmonBusiness was told that they were unable to comment on the situation. On the ‘where to buy’ section of Bleiker’s Smokehouse’s website, Aldi wasn’t listed among the key stockists of the company’s range.
Aldi declined to comment when contacted by SalmonBusiness via email and phone call.


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Table of Contents
- The Soogsx Leaked: A Deep Dive into the Controversial Data Breach
- What is the Soogsx leaked?
- The Impact of the Soogsx Leaked
- 1. Individuals
- 2. Businesses
- Lessons Learned from the Soogsx Leaked
- 1. Prioritize cybersecurity
- 2. Educate employees and users
- 3. Implement multi-factor authentication
- 4. Regularly update and patch systems
- 5. Have a robust incident response plan
- 1. How can individuals protect themselves after the Soogsx leaked?
- 2. How can businesses regain customer trust after a data breach?
- 3. How can governments play a role in preventing data breaches?
In recent years, data breaches have become a growing concern for individuals and organizations alike. The Soogsx leaked is one such incident that has sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity community. In this article, we will explore the details of the Soogsx leaked, its impact on individuals and businesses, and the lessons we can learn from this unfortunate event.
What is the Soogsx leaked?
The Soogsx leaked refers to a massive data breach that occurred in early 2021, where the personal information of millions of individuals was exposed. The breach affected a popular online platform called Soogsx, which is known for its extensive user base and wide range of services.
The exact details of how the breach occurred are still under investigation, but it is believed that hackers gained unauthorized access to Soogsx’s database through a vulnerability in their security infrastructure. Once inside, the hackers were able to extract a vast amount of sensitive information, including names, email addresses, passwords, and even financial data.
The Impact of the Soogsx Leaked
The Soogsx leaked has had far-reaching consequences for both individuals and businesses. Let’s take a closer look at the various ways in which this data breach has impacted different stakeholders:
For the individuals whose data was compromised in the Soogsx leaked, the consequences can be severe. Here are some of the potential impacts:
- Identity theft: With access to personal information, hackers can impersonate individuals and carry out fraudulent activities in their name.
- Financial loss: If financial data was exposed, individuals may become victims of unauthorized transactions and fraudulent charges.
- Privacy invasion: The leaked information can be used to invade an individual’s privacy, leading to potential harassment or blackmail.
- Reputation damage: If sensitive personal information becomes public, it can tarnish an individual’s reputation and have long-lasting consequences.
The Soogsx leaked also has significant implications for the businesses associated with the platform. Here’s how businesses are affected:
- Loss of customer trust: Data breaches erode customer trust, and businesses may struggle to regain the confidence of their users.
- Legal and financial repercussions: Depending on the jurisdiction, businesses may face legal consequences and hefty fines for failing to protect customer data.
- Reputational damage: A data breach can severely damage a company’s reputation, leading to a loss of business and potential partnerships.
- Increased cybersecurity costs: After a breach, businesses often need to invest heavily in improving their cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent future incidents.
Lessons Learned from the Soogsx Leaked
The Soogsx leaked serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. Here are some key lessons we can learn from this incident:
1. Prioritize cybersecurity
Businesses must prioritize cybersecurity and invest in the necessary resources to protect their systems and data. This includes regularly updating security protocols, conducting vulnerability assessments, and implementing strong encryption measures.
2. Educate employees and users
Human error is often a significant factor in data breaches. By educating employees and users about best practices for data security, such as creating strong passwords and being cautious of phishing attempts, businesses can reduce the risk of successful attacks.
3. Implement multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide additional verification, such as a fingerprint or a one-time password, in addition to their regular login credentials. This can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
4. Regularly update and patch systems
Outdated software and systems are often vulnerable to known exploits. By regularly updating and patching systems, businesses can ensure that they have the latest security fixes and protect against known vulnerabilities.
5. Have a robust incident response plan
Despite the best preventive measures, data breaches can still occur. Having a well-defined incident response plan in place can help businesses minimize the damage and respond swiftly and effectively to mitigate the impact of a breach.
1. How can individuals protect themselves after the Soogsx leaked?
Individuals can take several steps to protect themselves after the Soogsx leaked:
- Change passwords: Individuals should change their passwords for all online accounts, especially if they used the same password for multiple platforms.
- Enable two-factor authentication: By enabling two-factor authentication, individuals add an extra layer of security to their accounts.
- Monitor financial accounts: Regularly monitor bank and credit card statements for any suspicious activity and report it immediately.
- Be cautious of phishing attempts: Be vigilant of suspicious emails or messages that may be attempting to trick individuals into revealing personal information.
2. How can businesses regain customer trust after a data breach?
Regaining customer trust after a data breach can be challenging, but businesses can take the following steps:
- Transparent communication: Keep customers informed about the breach, its impact, and the steps being taken to address the issue.
- Offer support and assistance: Provide resources and support to affected customers, such as credit monitoring services or identity theft protection.
- Enhance security measures: Demonstrate a commitment to improving cybersecurity by implementing stronger security measures and regularly updating customers on the progress.
- Learn from the incident: Conduct a thorough investigation to understand the root cause of the breach and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
3. How can governments play a role in preventing data breaches?
Governments can play a crucial role in preventing data breaches by:
- Enforcing strict data protection regulations: Governments can enact and enforce laws that require businesses to implement robust cybersecurity measures and protect user data.
- Investing in cybersecurity infrastructure: Governments can allocate resources to improve national cybersecurity infrastructure and support businesses in implementing effective security measures.
- Facilitating information sharing: Governments can encourage information sharing between businesses and cybersecurity agencies to help identify and address emerging threats.
The Soogsx leaked serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact a data breach can have on individuals and businesses. It highlights the importance of prioritizing cybersecurity, educating employees and users, implementing multi-factor authentication, regularly updating systems, and having a robust incident response plan. By learning from this incident


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| ||24/07/2019 - 16:14|
The Shoprite Group is fighting crime by investing heavily in sophisticated security and other measures to make its shopping space secure, reduce the number of criminal incidents and increase the number of arrests. read more
| ||25/02/2019 - 12:13|
Retailers across the world continue to face strong headwinds. They have suffered a sharp drop in business in recent years, with bankruptcy filings and store closings almost becoming commonplace.
| ||12/11/2018 - 11:31|
The retail industry has undergone a massive transformation with the advent of technology. Beyond the rapid rise of online shopping, retailers are spying innovative ways to hang on to traditional shoppers while diversifying both their channels and their wares. read more
| ||29/10/2018 - 09:17|
South African retailers are planning to pull out all the stops to make this year's Black Friday the biggest one-day discount sale the country has seen. read more
| ||02/08/2018 - 09:26|
The benefits to property funds of diversified retail portfolios in the current market, in terms of shopping centre format, profile and geography, have again been reinforced by latest trading results, according to the Clur Report of SA Retail Property for May. read more
| ||26/07/2018 - 12:06|
In recent weeks, there have many a number of accounts of explosive and incendiary (fire-starting) devices being reported at various shopping centres and retail stores across the country. Hoaxes or terrorist plots? The truth is unknown but it is no secret, malls and shopping centres across the country are being targeted by the criminal underworld. read more
| ||18/07/2018 - 09:45|
Chinese e-commerce company JD.com predicts robots will eventually replace human workers in the retail industry. read more
| ||29/06/2018 - 13:11|
Property sector stalwart Stephan Le Roux has been appointed as the new South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) president. read more
| ||15/05/2018 - 10:43|
Following the recent release of its latest retail trade sales publication, Statistics South Africa has compiled a new fact sheet focusing on the biggest aspects of the retail industry. read more
| ||04/12/2017 - 17:30|
Toys R Us plans to shut at least 26 UK stores, as the retailer goes through bankruptcy proceedings in the US.
| ||19/09/2017 - 09:28|
Toys ‘R’ Us, the largest US toy store chain, filed for bankruptcy protection late on Monday. read more
| ||05/10/2016 - 09:00|
STRETCHED consumers with reduced disposable income are not unique to SA’s retail sector, says Raam Ratnam, S&P Global Rating’s senior director for corporate ratings for retail companies. But pressure on credit spend is a significant local risk. read more
| ||04/07/2016 - 16:15|
The landmark 20th South African Congress of Shopping Centres is set to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 7 to 9 September 2016.
| ||24/06/2016 - 08:11|
The South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) has introduced a ground-breaking new education programme designed to provide centre management teams with a better overall understanding of the retail environment.
| ||15/03/2013 - 10:36|
VENTURES AFRICA – Barloworld Logistics, a unit of the JSE-listed diversified industrials giant, Barloworld Goup, is expanding its specialised logistics solutions to the Arab states of the Gulf, it said on Monday. read more
| ||28/11/2011 - 07:58|
New Delhi - India will open the country’s retail industry to foreign supermarkets, a cabinet minister told reporters on Thursday, a much-delayed reform expected to help unclog supply bottlenecks and ease inflation over time. read more


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Just last week I wrote about medical information being more sought by hackers than even credit card information. Now there’s even more information supporting the need for consumers to be even more vigilant in using wearable fitness applications.
Why? Because it turns out that some wearable fitness apps do not have the kind of privacy and security features needed to protect the wearer’s personal information. Mathew J. Schwartz reported on a recent study by Candid Wueest, a Symantec security researcher (www.healthcareinfosecurity.com; “Do Wearable Devices Spill Secrets? Sizing up the Privacy Risks of Fitness-Tracking Apps”; October 17, 2014).
Mr. Wueest studied the top 100 most popular fitness-tracking applications on both the Apple Store and Google Play. He found that the information transmitted by the applications often included the wearer’s name, email address, password, date of birth and target weight as well as their Facebook and Google access tokens.
What else did Mr. Wueest unearth? As Mr. Schwartz wrote that Mr. Wuuest’s research and analysis found that:
- Each application shares personal data with — on average — 5 sits including application-related analytics sites, advertising networks, social media sites and marketing networks;
- 20% of the applications Mr. Wueest studied were transmitting login credentials in clear text; this means that the information could be intercepted by anyone connected to the same public WiFi hotspot, for example, as one of the devices or if someone planted a Bluetooth “sniffer” within range of one of the devices;
- Some of the applications encrypted the credentials, but failed to encrypt the personal data being transmitted; and
- That many of the application makers and device manufacturers failed to secure the personal information being stored on their sites.
Again, I’m not suggesting that consumers abandon fitness regimes and fitness-tracking devices. What I am emphasizing is the critical need to try and learn as much about the data security and privacy practices of the manufacturers of wearable devices as possible.
More and more medical and health information is being collected electronically. People are using fitness apps, for example, to watch their calorie intake and gauge their level of physical activity. Those are certainly good and admirable goals.
But what many people don’t realize is the serious security issues about using these kinds of medical and health apps. Health data is increasingly held by technology companies, not by health and medical professionals and entities such as doctors and hospitals as Brian Fung noted in a recent Washington Post article. He gave the example of Apple’s Healthkit that collects and centralizes health information across apps (www.washingtonpost.com; “Facebook may be eyeing your health data. Should you trust it?”; October 3rd). Moreover, these apps don’t have the same privacy and security requirements that apply under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act‘s to medical and health professionals, hospitals and associated records do not cover these types of fitness and health apps.
What is particularly powerful are two statistics in Mr. Fung’s article. First, he writes that ‘[t]here’s also a lot of money floating around the healthcare industry —an estimated $3 trillion worth ….”. Second, he noted that “[h]ealth records are so valuable, security experts say, that hackers will pay up to 20 times more for a person’s medical record on the black market than for a stolen credit card number.”
Those are staggering numbers and only underscore that individuals need to protect their health and medical information. Moreover, individuals need to think carefully before using a fitness or medical or health app. I’m not suggesting that individuals shouldn’t use them. But individuals need to dig in and learn how the information that’s being collected will be stored; how it will be protected; and whether the company whose product they’re using is going to sell or share any of the collected data with a third party.
Individuals need to be pro-active so they don’t unwittingly help hackers make money off of some of their most sensitive personal information.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month kicks off today. Consumers will be able to read numerous articles and announcements providing helpful guidance and information.
I want to start with “tip #1″ that is practical and useful throughout the year. Protecting one’s privacy starts with the basics and that means using a strong password. It often seems more complicated than it needs to be. I’ve found an article today by Paul Ducklin with an accompanying video that helps explain what a proper and strong password is; the steps for creating one; and reminders about why doing so is very important.
You can find Mr. Ducklin’s article and the video at: nakedsecuritysophos.com. His article is titled “How to pick a proper password [VIDEO]” and is well worth the time.
October is the month during which cybersecurity is highlighted but these practices are ones consumers need to follow year round.
On September 9th, Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, unveiled two new Apple products — products that means Apple could become a collector of consumers’ personal health and financial information. And that means Apple will need to protect the personal information it holds — and that’s where the privacy concerns arise.
As Brian X. Chen and Steve Lohr reported in the New York Times, these products include a health-montioring smartwatch and Apple Pay; the latter is a new payment service consumers will be able to use to buy items wirelessly on some Apple devices (www.nytimes.com; “With Apple Pay and Smartwatch, a Privacy Challenge”; online September 11th).
The new Apple smart watch will be available sometime in 2015 and it will have health-monitoring capabilities for consumers such as heart rates and other information. Apple Pay will be available sometime in October.
What are the privacy concerns? First, consumers using Apple Pay will be providing valuable financial information such as credit and debit card numbers. As Mr. Chen and Mr. Lohr note, that’s the kind of information that hackers want to get. With the Apple smart watch, the health information that consumers will enter is not covered by regulations so there are no current controls for the ways in which that information is secured and/or used. As Mr. Chen and Mr. Lohr wrote, regulators are becoming more interested in the range of health monitoring devices out on the market and are starting to raise issues about the need to protect this type of health information and make sure it stays private.
In announcing these new products, Apple said Apple Pay will not be storing any payment information on Apple devices or servers. It said it will only be serving as a conduit between merchants and banks. As far as the new smart watch, Apple has updated its guidance to app developers. The guidance now states that developers of health apps who are working with HealthKit, the new set of tools for tracking fitness and health statistics, can’t use the personal health data gather for advertising or data-mining purposes — with the exceptions of using it to help manage some individuals health and fitness or for medical research.
Those exceptions are ones that could, however, be read very broadly. It remains to be seen if Apple really enforces these privacy protections and whether consumers can really count on Apple to provide the kind of protection needed for these types of personal and sensitive information.
Facebook users will want to know about, and use, the latest privacy control that’s just been announced and will start rolling out soon. This is a blue dinosaur that will pop up on users’ computer screens. The tool will help users review their current Facebook privacy settings and, if desired, make any updates or changes to those settings. It is a helpful way for Facebook users to be even more privacy pro-active.
Graham Cluley’s done an article about this latest feature and includes screen shots of the blue dinosaur (email@example.com; “Facebook’s privacy dinosaur will check your settings for you”; September 6th). The screen shots provide users with the option either of using the feature or not; if selected, the review show take only about one to two minutes.
Mr. Cluley urges Facebook users to select the “Let’s Do It!” option since the relatively easy process allows Facebook users to be doubly sure that they are sharing their information with the people with whom they want do. As he notes, it will be easy for Facebook users to review both the people with whom they’re sharing information as well as any 3rd-party Facebook apps with whom the user is connected. These reviews will allow Facebook users to confirm and/or refine these settings.
Using the new blue dinosaur is a way for Facebook users to augment their privacy. But, as Mr. Cluley notes, Facebook users shouldn’t use the “Privacy Checkup” instead of, or as a substitute for, routinely doing their own checks and reviews of their Facebook privacy settings.
There’s been wide spread coverage over the past few days of the photos that have been hacked and posted online of actresses and other famous women. These individuals used the cloud to store what they thought would remain private photos. What they learned was that their presumption was sadly wrong.
They are not alone either in storing photos in the cloud or thinking that the photos would be safe there. Many people area using the cloud for storing all sorts of personal information, much, if not all, of which they’d like to think will be kept private and protected.
As Arik Hesseldahl reports in his recent article, Apple is investigating how the iCloud accounts of these celebrities were hacked (recode.net; “Apple Says It Is “Actively Investigating” Celeb Photo Hack”; September 1). The tip he includes comes from Darien Kindlund, Director of Threat Research at FireEye, and is one that everyone should try and use.
What’s this tip? Turn 0n and use the two-factor authentication option on iCloud accounts. Mr. Kindlund is quoted in Mr. Hesseldahl’s articles as noting that Apple calls its version of this enhanced security “two-step verification” and that it’s not easy to learn about — Mr. Kindlund said it takes sorting through a number of support articles to learn about this Apple iCloud feature.
Two-factor authentication is usually a combination of a randomly generated numerical code coupled with the consumer’s regular password. The numerical code, per Mr. Kindlund, is sent to the consumer’s phone or another device. Since that code changes all the time, it makes it harder (although not impossible of course) for hackers to get into accounts even if they’ve got the consumer’s password. The not so good news, per Mr. Kindlund, is that Apple permits someone an unlimited number of password guesses.
While nothing is foolproof, consumers who regularly store photos and other information in the cloud should enable two-factor authentication, or the Apple two-step verification, for additional protection.
I wrote last week about the stunning password and user name theft that Hold Security had unearthed (“Cautionary Note About Hold Security”; August 12). In that blog, I mentioned Graham Cluley’s important discovery about the fee that Hold Security would charge consumers who wanted to find out if any of their passwords and user names had been breached. Mr. Cluley mentioned several password management services about which I said I’d be writing more.
I looked at the sites for several password management services. I’m not recommending any of them but these are services about which consumers should be aware. The password manager services allow consumers to store all of their passwords, along with other confidential information, into one secure site. Hayley Tsukayama wrote a very helpful article about password management, including a good summary of several of the services along with the pros and cons (www.washingtonpost.com, “How to keep track of your passwords without going insane”; August 7).
She reviewed two of the three services I had mentioned, e.g., LastPass and 1 Password. She also included Dashlane. I also mentioned KeePass which has similar features as the others but is a completely free and open source password manager. I mention that because, as Ms. Tsukayama wrote, the other services are free unless a consumer wants to sync his passwords across multiple devices, such as between a smart phone and a computer.
For that kind of premium service, there are different fees charged by the services:
- LastPass charges $12.00 a year;
- 1Password charges a one time fee of $50.00 for Mac and Windows, $18.00 for iOS and $10.00 for a full version of the app on Android; and
- Dashlane charges $30.00 a year.
All the services operate along the same lines. They are online storage lockers that retain all of a consumer’s passwords in encrypted databases. The passwords are locked behind a single master password that only the consumer knows. That’s the good news. But as Ms. Tsukayama notes, that also means the consumer has to remember that master password because it can’t be retrieved from anywhere else. The services can also store secure notes, credit card information as well as other information that a consumer has to fill in on various websites. Another attractive feature of these services is their ability to generate random passwords for accounts that are strong and are remembered in their various lockers or vaults. That way, a consumer can access these passwords while browsing the web by clicking onto a button on his browser and choosing the account for which he needs to fill in information.
Are there downsides to these services? Consumers are relying on the security of the various password manager services when using them. KeePass notes on its website that in addition to being free and open source that its encrypted database is not stored in the cloud but strictly locally.
As I said, I’m not endorsing any particular service but I am strongly encouraging consumers to think about the ways in which they are storing their passwords.
There’s been a rush of articles suggesting what consumers can and should do to protect themselves following the news about the Russian hackers. The fact that over a billion usernames and passwords have been stolen has meant that some consumers are overwhelmed given the magnitude of the theft.
Graham Cluley wrote an article explaining his initial hesitation about writing about Hold Security’s discovery or commenting on it when contacted by the news media (grahamcluley.com; “Security firm that revealed “billion password” breach demands $120 before it will say if you’re a victim”: August 7). As he explained, his reservation stemmed from the paucity of information in Hold Security’s initial official statement. So Mr. Cluley dug in more and found that Hold Security wants consumers email addresses and $120 per year for their new breach notification service. Consumers whose email addresses are found are then asked for an encrypted version of all of their passwords so they can be compared against the Hold Security’s database.
There are obvious problems with this approach. Instead, Mr. Cluley highlights Troy Hunt’s free service that checks breach information in its database. I went to the site which is: haveibeenpwned.com and learned that my email address had been found in one of the breaches loaded into the system. It was the Forbes.com breach about which I already knew. I signed up for Mr. Hunt’s free service to get alerts if my email shows up in other breaches.
Password management is becoming more pressing and complex for consumers. Thanks to Mr. Cluley’s investigation, I’ll take a pass on the Hold Security fee breach notification system.
Mr. Cluley mentions LastPass, 1 Password and KeePass as several password management services that consumers should consider. I’ll be looking at those and will write about them in future posts.
A breach of mind boggling magnitude has been unearthed by Hold Security, a Milwaukee firm that specializes in identifying major online security breaches. Nicole Perlroth and David Gelles broke the story yesterday about Hold Security’s latest discovery (www.nytimes.com; “Russian Gang Amasses Over a Billion Internet Passwords”; August 5). Other media are now reporting on this story citing the New York Times article.
No, you’re not mis-reading the headline of their story— over 1.2 billion unique combinations of user names and passwords were stolen by Russian hackers. In their story, Ms. Perlroth and Mr. Gelles report that Hold Security found that the Russian gang had also stolen over 500 million email addresses. Per their report, the New York Times hired an independent security expert to analyze the database that Hold Security had. That expert confirmed the authenticity of the database and the magnitude of the data that has been stolen.
Which companies and websites have been victimized? Hold Security is not disclosing the names of victims because of “non disclosure agreements” and the company’s reluctance to name companies whose websites could still be vulnerable. Ms. Perlroth and Mr. Gelles wrote that it appears that the Russian criminals haven’t been selling many of the records online yet but, instead, appear to be sending spam out on social networks for fees paid by other groups.
So what protective steps can individuals take? It’s hard to know exactly what to do when faced with a breach of this astounding magnitude. Some of the most immediate steps are ones that are sound guidance regardless of the scope of a breach. These include diligently examining financial statements for any suspicious charges or withdrawals; changing passwords as a pro-active step; and not using the same password and user name for multiple sites.


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Big changes are coming to Fido. Having used dogs for years in their ads and as part of their brand, they are ready to unveil a rebranding that will do away with their “furry canine friends” in favour of the “most popular pet on the planet.” The new brand ambasssador will be none other than a cat.
“Dogs have been the face of Fido for the past 18 years and we see this change as a reflection of our customers’ growing passion for the Internet. We are consistently listening to the wants and interests of our customers, and what they want are cats,” said Shelagh Stoneham, senior vice president and general manager brands and marketing communications, Fido Solutions Inc. “We thank our dog ambassadors for their years of dedicated service and are excited to introduce the cat as the cuddly and curious face of Fido. Can we excel with this new brand breed? Yes we cat.”
With the rebranding, Fido promises that it will continue to offer the same “great prices and excellent customer service. No hairballs included. ” Fido will also unveil a new tagline to go with their feline switch: “Yes we cat.”
The new brand is expected to launch shortly.
What do you think of Fido’s rebranding and “Yes we cat” tagline? Let us know below.
Source : MobileSyrup


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Following in the footsteps of T-Mobile, Sprint on Wednesday unveiled a new unlimited music streaming service for its Boost Mobile customers.
Starting today, the unlimited music feature will be available on Boost’s $30 with Auto Re-Boost, $35, and $60 plans.
Under the new program, Boost Mobile customers will be able to stream music from select services on their mobile device without incurring data charges.
Initial partner services include Pandora, iHeartRadio, 8tracks, Samsung Milk Music and Slacker Radio. More music partners are expected to be announced in the future.
The move mirrors T-Mobile’s June 2014 introduction of its Music Freedom program, which allows T-Mobile customers on the Un-carrier’s Simple Choice plans to stream unlimited amounts of music from partner services without using up their data allowance.
Like Boost’s new program, T-Mobile’s Music Freedom initially included seven partners, including Pandora, iHeartRadio, Slacker Radio, Rhapsody, iTunes Radio and Spotify. Since its launch, Music Freedom has been expanded to include a total of 44 different music streaming services.
According to T-Mobile, Music Freedom customers now stream more than 196 million songs each day.
T-Mobile’s prepaid brand MetroPCS also rolled out unlimited music streaming in mid-November.


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It looks like Electronic Arts have a few surprises up their sleeves. MCV are quoting EA's Patrick Soderlund saying that they're working on 6-8 brand new IPs at present.
Whether this includes titles like Titanfall, which is a new IP that has been revealed to the public, or whether he's talking exclusively about games they have yet to reveal is unclear, though his wording suggests it's probably the former:
"We are developing Star Wars Battlefront, which to us is a new IP, even though it isn’t technically... We have six to eight completely new IPs in the works. The day we stop making new IP is when we go onto life support. We need to incubate new ideas and push creative boundaries."
Still, that leaves plenty of brand new reveals to look forward to.
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Wellness Center USA, Inc. (WCUI), a Schaumburg, IL -alternative healthcare, medical device solutions and online nutraceutical sales company, today announced that wholly-owned subsidiary Psoria-Shield's flagship product Psoria-Light(R) has been granted full patent status from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for one of several patent applications, 8,481,982.
The patent can be viewed at: http://www.google.com/patents/US8481982
"The importance of Psoria-Light's novel safety controls, which detect patient skin before allowing dosing, was recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) as being a unique new teaching in the medical field," stated Scot Johnson, CEO and founder of Psoria Shield.
Psoria-Light emits only pure monochromatic UVA and narrow-band UVB light from breakthrough deep UV LED arrangements. The device's other patent pending LED emitter technology doesn't heat the skin and doesn't carry any of the laser-specific safety concerns associated with excimer lasers.
"The creativity behind medical designs often goes un-noticed. When companies do file for patent protection, applications are often either abandoned or never make it past the first few rounds of review by the PTO. Recognition of improvements in the medical device field by the PTO drives not only sales and shareholder value for those protected products, but also spurs the best of those design teams to do more in their future work. Wellness Center USA's team will continue to push the limits in their designs, and are committed to obtaining the protection and recognition afforded by the PTO," added Johnson.
"As previously announced, we are developing technologies with our sister company, CNS Wellness Inc. (CNS), which has achieved significant advancements in the field of non-pharmaceutical mental health therapy. The collaboration between Psoria-Shield, having substantial medical device design, regulatory and manufacturing experience, together with CNS and their associates, represents enormous intellectual property and treatment potentials for the world," continued Johnson.
Wellness Center's two revolutionary technologies have been the fortunate beneficiaries of coverage from the mass market media (television, newspaper, industry trade journals, etc.). Recently, Psoria Light was featured by ABC News; camera crews showed up at Dr. Seth Forman's practice in Tampa, FL - to film him treating an eight year old patient suffering from Psoriasis (rosy red patches on her cheeks) using the Psoria-Light(R) device. Dr. Forman, one of the nation's most prominent Dermatologists recently featured on nationally broadcast "The Doctors" (CBS), commented "We're actually finding we're delivering the most therapeutic wavelength and not delivering non-therapeutic and therefore unnecessary and potentially harmful (light)."
Click for ABC News Video featuring Psoria-Shield: http://goo.gl/UpL14
"We are proud of our patent achievement, as it recognizes our breakthrough technology and reflects the ability of our superb design team and the hard work that goes into our products. At Wellness Center USA Inc., we continue to plan for the company's future, working towards the successful development and release of our newer products and services," added Mr. Andrew J. Kandalepas, CEO and Chairman of Wellness Center USA Inc.
Psoria-Shield sales are continually expanding domestically, and are now represented in several states across the nation by veteran dermatological sales specialists. Psoria-Light is FDA-cleared, CE marked, and manufactured in Tampa, FL under an ISO 13485 quality management system.


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Second Putative Class Action Targets Quaker Oats’ Glyphosate Use
A consumer has filed a putative class action against The Quaker Oats Co. alleging the company misrepresents its oatmeal products as natural and “eco-friendly” despite containing glyphosate, “a potent herbicide that last year was declared a probable human carcinogen by the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization.” Wheeler v. Quaker Oats Co., No. 16-5776 (N.D. Ill., removed to federal court June 1, 2016).
The complaint argues that although “[t]here is nothing unlawful about Quaker Oats’ growing and processing methods,” the company has misled consumers by claiming “that Quaker Oats is something that it is not in order to capitalize on growing consumer demand for healthful, natural products.” The plaintiff asserts that no reasonable consumer would believe that Quaker’s products “contain anything unnatural, or anything other than whole, rolled oats” after seeing Quaker’s packaging and advertising. For allegations of unjust enrichment, breach of warranties and violations of Illinois’ consumer-protection statutes, the plaintiff seeks class certification, a corrective advertising campaign, an injunction, an accounting, restitution and damages. A similar suit against Quaker Oats was filed in May 2016 and reported in Issue 603 of this Update.


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by: editor | copyright: eTurboNews – Travel & Tourism News
Air traffic passenger enplanements are up 44% YOY for December 2022 and up 97% for calendar year 2022. For air passenger travel between the US and Europe, travel is up 248% for 2022.
Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in 2022:
U.S.-International air traffic passenger enplanements (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures) totaled:
• 18.737 million in December 2022, up 44% compared to December 2021, with enplanements reaching 89% of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.
• 196.682 million in calendar year 2022, up 97% compared to 2021, with enplanements reaching 77% of pre-pandemic 2019 volume.
Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in December 2022 and Calendar Year 2022
• Non-U.S. Citizen Air Passenger Arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:
o 4.370 million in December 2022, up 48% compared to December 2021 and 78% compared to pre-pandemic December 2019 volume.
o 42.821 million in calendar year 2022, up 108% compared to 2021 and 66% compared to pre-pandemic 2019 volume.
On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals (with stays of 1-night or more in the United States and visiting under certain visa types) (ADIS/ I-94) totaled 2.482 million in December 2022, the fourteenth consecutive month overseas visitor arrivals exceeded 1.0 million. December overseas visitor arrivals reached 71.15% of pre-pandemic December 2019 volume, up from 66.85% in November 2022. For the year 2022, there were a total of 23.953 million overseas visitors, a 161% increase from 2021 and representing 59% of pre-COVID overseas visitor volume in 2019, up from 23% in 2021.
• U.S. Citizen Air Passenger Departures from the United States to foreign countries totaled:
o 5.446 million in December 2022, up 43% compared to December 2021 and exceeding December 2019 volume by 3.6%.
o 54.566 million in calendar year 2022, up 88% compared to calendar year 2021 and 90% of pre-pandemic 2019 volume.
World Region Highlights (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures)
• Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led in December 2022 and calander year 2022, respectively, by:
o Mexico 3.20 million (December 2022) and 36.224 million (calander year 2022)
o Canada 2.21 million and 22.028 million
o United Kingdom 1.43 million and 15.545 million
o Dominican Republic 795,000 and 9.141 million
o Germany 789,000 and 8.850 million
The post US air passenger travel up no matter how you look at it appeared first on eTurboNews – Travel & Tourism News


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With the NBA announcing that its League Pass product is free and open to the public through at least April 22, an entire archive of games from the 2019-20 season have been made available to fans.
The latest promotion is designed to supplement increased physical distancing measures around the world — all aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which prompted the league to indefinitely suspend its 2019-20 season on March 11.
Fans can take advantage of the free offer by signing into their NBA account through NBA.com or the NBA App on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android mobile and tablet devices, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and other supported devices.
Games from the current 2019-20 season can be accessed by sorting through the calendar on the NBA.com Scores page.
Earlier this week, we highlighted five games from the 2019 portion of the schedule worth re-watching. Now, we present five top games from the period of January 1, 2020 until the season’s March 11 hiatus.


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Next-Gen iPhone May Be Baptized in Liquidmetal
Apr 19, 2012 2:43 PM PT
Apple will use so-called Liquidmetal for the casing of the iPhone 5, which will be launched in June, according to Korea IT News.
Liquidmetal is the commercial name of an amorphous metal alloy developed by researchers at the California Institute of Technology and marketed by a company they set up called Liquidmetal Technologies.
The alloy's been used in more than 10 million hinges for mobile phones and smartphones, more than 2 million antennae, over 2 million cases and more than 1 million pounds of coatings materials.
Apple purchased a worldwide exclusive license to commercialize Liquidmetal Technologies' intellectual property in the field of consumer electronics, according to the latter's 10-K report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in March.
"With the license, Apple's highly likely to use the technology in future mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad or even the MacBook Air," Jim McGregor, president of Tirias Research, told MacNewsWorld. "Liquidmetal offers a lightweight solution that has all the characteristics of metal and can be an attractive alternative to plastics."
Apple did not respond to our request for comment for this story.
What Is Liquidmetal, Anyhow?
Liquidmetal alloys contain atoms of different sizes that form a dense mix with very little free volume. Unlike crystalline metals, they don't have an obvious melting point. At high temperatures, Liquidmetal behaves like plastic. Because of their non-crystalline, or amorphous, structures, Liquidmetals are harder than titanium or aluminum alloys used in similar applications.
Liquidmetal alloys can be heat-formed the same way plastics can, up to a point.
Another term for heat-forming Liquidmetal is metal injection molding, Kevin Keller, a senior principal analyst at IHS iSuppli, told MacNewsWorld. Metal injection molding "lets you fabricate complex geometries similar to injection molded plastics" but with the advantages of a metal alloy -- strength, rigidity, wear and corrosion resistance, Keller said.
"From a design standpoint, I believe rigidity and durability may be [Liquidmetal's] best benefits," Tirias Research's McGregor said. "I would expect more investment into this and other materials technologies for the casings of all mobile devices."
Issues With Liquidmetal
However, metal injection molding is "still a fairly immature technology, so using it can be quite costly," iSuppli's Keller pointed out.
Apple is already using this technology right now, as are other manufacturers, but its use is "limited to small mechanical internal components such as the SIM card ejector on the previous iPhone as well as other internal components," Keller said
Further, there are "some limitations" to the process in terms of the physical size of products that can be made with metal injection molding because of its relative newness, Keller stated. "Where you have a molten material you're injecting into a die, that material has to be very tightly temperature-controlled and has to be cooled at a certain rate, and it's a matter of working out the techniques."
Where Liquidmetal's Being Used
Liquidmetal is being used in the cores of golf balls, in skis, in baseball and softball bats, and in tennis racquets.
It has been used on the casing of SanDisk's Cruzer Titanium USB flash drives and Sansa flash-based MP3 players. It has also been used in the casings of some mobile phones such as those made by Nokia subsidiary Vertu.
Taking Liquidmetal Into Tomorrow
Apple paid Liquidmetal Technologies US$20 million for the licensing rights to the latter's IP for use in the consumer electronics sector.
Cupertino's likely to work on getting around the size limitations imposed by the metal injection molding process.
"Right now, Apple's exploring the use of this manufacturing technique into more and more components of their products, and possibly even planning to use this technology for larger, more visible components such as the enclosure," iSuppli's Keller said. "Apple is, I'm sure, right now developing techniques to expand this manufacturing process into larger and larger parts like enclosures."
Apple "invested millions of dollars" to move the use of precision aluminum machining up from "turning out low-volume, low-quantity short-run prototyping" into creating unibodies for its MacBooks, Keller pointed out. "We expect Apple will invest the same kind of resources, time and energy into [improving] injection metal molding."


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- Posted by: David Rees MS
- Category: News
The Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) has helped protect 63 jobs at Wrexham manufacturer Isringhausen GB Limited.
The company, which is based on the Redwither Business Park, is an important employer in the region and supplies seating systems for a range of vehicles to brands across the world.
To support the company, the Welsh Government has provided £63,000 which has protected jobs that might otherwise have been lost due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The ERF, which is part of Welsh Government’s £2 billion plus support package for businesses, is providing thousands of companies across Wales with significant financial support and has already helped to safeguard 125,000 jobs. The fund complements the help provided by the UK Government.
Steve Szabo, Operations Director of Isringhausen GB Limited, said: “The last year has been extremely difficult and challenging due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We at Isringhausen are grateful for the vital support provided by the Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund.
“This support has helped us navigate through the year enabling us to protect and retain our complete workforce of 63 employees whilst supplying a diminished market.
“Going forward we will continue providing a service to our customers and a stable working environment for all our employees, who we wish to thank for being so flexible throughout this unprecedented period of uncertainty.’’
Economy Minister Ken Skates said: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have provided a substantial package of support for Welsh businesses, delivered at pace, worth more than £2 billion. This is the most generous offer of help for businesses anywhere in the UK.
“The Economic Resilience Fund has been key to our efforts to protect companies, jobs and livelihoods from the severe economic effects of the virus, and I am pleased it has provided crucial financial assistance to Isringhausen GB Limited in Wrexham at a time when they needed it most.
“As a government, we will continue to do all that we can to protect our businesses and our people from the effects of this crisis.”


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Businesses across the UK are artificially boosting their online ratings by paying firms for fake Google reviews, as a booming industry in misleading information avoids detection by the tech giant, a Which? investigation has revealed.
The consumer watchdog’s latest research involved setting up and buying fake reviews for its own fake business listing on Google. Following the trail of these paid-for reviewers, Which? found they were employing similar manipulative tactics for a wide range of businesses – from a stockbroker in Canary Wharf to a bakery in Edinburgh.
The findings have exposed concerning gaps in Google’s monitoring of its review platform, leaving people at risk of being misled into using local businesses that appear to have received glowing endorsements, but could, in reality, be substandard or even pose a serious financial risk to consumers.
Which? created its own fake Google business listing named ‘Five Star Reviews’. Researchers bought 20 Google reviews for £108 ($150) from Reviewr which was easily found through a quick Google search.
Reviewr says ‘buying Google reviews is undoubtedly a smart choice’ as ‘89% of consumers trust online Google reviews as much as personal recommendations’. It claims to offer ‘100% permanent reviews’ for the platform that won’t be deleted.
Which? was able to choose the star rating for each review. It requested that all were five stars and that it wanted three to five left each day. Which?’s researchers even provided the exact wording they wanted for the 20 reviews – praising how good the made-up business and its fake owner were. Over the next week they started appearing, left by a variety of Google accounts.
After further digging into the profiles of these reviewers, Which? found that many of the Google accounts used to plant its fake reviews had infiltrated Google reviews at scale – reviewing the same selection of businesses all around the country.
Which? linked together 45 businesses that had at least three ‘reviewers’ in common – including a stockbroker in Canary Wharf, a solicitors firm in Liverpool, a dentist in Greater Manchester, a London estate agent and a bakery in Edinburgh – suggesting that each of these businesses paid the same review trading company to post these glowing appraisals.
In some cases, these fake positive reviews could be masking genuine concerns about serious financial risk to consumers. The stockbroker based in Canary Wharf had, for six months in 2020, received a raft of negative reviews – many citing “shockingly poor customer service”.
One reviewer had left an extremely unlikely series of ratings. He had praised a Surrey-based limo hire company, stating that he had lived in the area for five years and used them for all airport trips, and in the same month used the services of a Glasgow-based electric gate installation firm for his home – locations that are 412 miles apart.
Over the next few months, the same profile used a dentist in Greater Manchester, a paving company in Bournemouth, and praised the services of a locksmith in Cambridgeshire for rescuing his two-year-old daughter from a locked car outside of her nursery.
During its investigation, Which? also uncovered four other review sites, AppSally, BuyServiceUSA, DripFeedReviews and Link Building Services, that appeared to offer Google reviews for sale in bulk. They were all easily found in Google search results for the search term “Buy Google reviews”.
A recent Which? survey found that, of those who had used review websites or apps to look for customer reviews on a local trade business over the previous year, almost half (46%) said that they had read Google reviews.
When Which? shared its findings with Google, it quickly shut down the fake business Which? had set up. It said deliberately inauthentic content is in breach of its policies and stated: “When we find scammers trying to mislead people, we take swift action ranging from content removal to account suspension and even litigation.”
A spokesperson added:
“We invest significantly in building technologies and instituting practices that help people find reliable information on Google. Our policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences and information, and we closely monitor 24/7 for fraudulent content, using a combination of people and technology. When we find scammers trying to mislead people, we take swift action ranging from content removal to account suspension and even litigation.”
However, Which? has concerns that its approach is not effective enough. Online platforms that host reviews, including Google, must do more to proactively prevent fake reviews from infiltrating their sites.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently investigating the problem of fake reviews. To protect consumers from being misled, Which? is calling on the regulator to take strong action against sites that host reviews if it finds that they are failing to prevent fake reviews from flooding their platforms.
Says Natalie Hitchins, Head of Home Products and Services at Which?:
“Businesses exploiting flaws in Google’s review system to rise up the ranks are putting honest businesses on the back foot and leaving consumers at risk of being misled.
“The regulator must stamp out this harmful behaviour and hold sites to account if they fail to protect their users, otherwise the government must urgently increase websites’ legal responsibilities for misleading content on their platforms.
“Google, and other sites, must clamp down on and prevent these manipulative practices to ensure that consumers can trust the reviews that they read.”


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Mamoru Tsuchiya is one of the most influential figures in Japan’s whisky scene. Tsuchiya-san is the founder of the Japan Whisky Research Centre (below JWRC), an organization dedicated to collecting and spreading knowledge about whisky throughout Japan. JWRC is behind many events that aim to bring whisky to the masses — this includes whisky festivals like Whisky Festival in Tokyo, certification exams like the Whisky Kentei, seminars, and the recent Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition. The JWRC also takes on consulting projects, for example helping new whisky distilleries get up and running.
That’s why Tsuchiya-san’s latest blog post is particularly important. He begins by saying that the recent announcement of a new whisky distillery on his home island of Sadogashima has him scratching his head. The capital investment is way too small for a whisky distillery, he says, leaving him wondering if they will just be using imported bulk whisky and labeling it as Japanese. His suspicions are understandable — Niigata Beer already exports Shinobu Whisky despite not actually distilling anything themselves.
This is one of the reasons he will be turning his attention to the legal definition of Japanese whisky. Three years ago, the team came up with a proposal for such a definition, and even published it in three different magazines at the time. But there were too many obstacles–lack of people, money, time–and other priorities that prevented him from further tackling the issue.
Three years later, now that JWRC has more resources and the competition has been successfully pulled off, Tsuchiya-san says he will focusing on the creation of a legal definition of Japanese whisky:
Of the world’s five major whisky regions, only japan has no denomination of origin requirement. even emerging players like taiwan and india have whisky regulations.
Creating a legal definition of “Japanese whisky” will require amendment of Japan’s alcohol tax law. It must therefore be a political process, involving a bill being introduced and approved by Japan’s National Diet.
That’s not to mention that we consumers are only one of the participants in the discussion: Tsuchiya-san says that in the past few years he was hopeful the industry’s self-regulating body, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, would confront the issue. That seems to have never happened. Given that even major players like Nikka are using imported whisky in some blended whiskies, it’s entirely possible that there could be opposition to more stringent definitions.
Also, even if/when such new tax law revisions are passed, it’s entirely possible that they will only take effect after some kind of grace period. You need only crack open a beer for an example of this; the bill to change the beer tax system was proposed in 2016, passed in 2017, and will be implemented in phases from 2020 to 2026.
That’s all to say that these changes are unlikely to come overnight. But I believe most readers of this site would agrees that the law does indeed need to be changed.
Wondering how you can help move things along? So am I! Stay tuned for more on this.
Hi there! I created and run nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo since 2008, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). I also sit on the Executive Committees for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition and Japanese Whisky Day. Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!
What Nikka blend uses imported whisky?
When I was chatting to some punters at WhiskyLive about Japanese Whisky, the subject did come up about fake Japanese Whisky. In regards to Nikka who were the only Japanese Whisky company that had a stand, the general consensus seemed to be that no one gave a shit about whether there might be some whisky from another country is some of the blends or pure malts, only just be honest and put it on the label. The rep openly said there was some whisky from Scotland in some of the bottling’s. If you own Ben Nevis in Scotland as Nikka does, why not be proud of it and label the bottle(if it is a Japanese/Scottish combo) as a blend of Whisky from The Yoichi, Miyagikyo and Ben Nevis distilleries.
Now you might say that maybe they are weary of doing so with all the hoopla in the media these days about fake Japanese Whisky. The fact is Nikka and others others have been silent about it from the beginning so there is some other deep rooted psychology behind the lack of admission.
There are enough examples of openly and proudly marketed Scottish/Japanese hybrid whiskies – think Ichiro’s Uniting Nations, Chichibu World Blended and Adelphi’s The Glover series – to show that it does not impact on sales when you have transparency.
How does this affect the Akashi brand?
I have a bottle of Akashi Toji, and while I know it is a blend, how would I go about determining the origin of the whisky the Japanese malt has been blended with?
Really interesting stuff, thanks for your writing
Tsuchiya-san has said that next year they will be applying stricter standards to the “Japanese whisky” category of the TWSC. This means that anything using imported grain or malt whiskies — like the Akashi blends — will not be the Japanese whisky category.
For what it’s worth the only Akashi that took home an award at this year’s competition was a 10y single malt, so I don’t know if they even entered their blends into the running.


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MADISON, Wis. — The Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural & Life Sciences announced the 2019 Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame members will be inducted on May 3.
Larry Clark, owner of Lodi Sausage Co. & Meat Market, will be the first inductee. Clark graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966 and took a job at Oscar Mayer as a livestock buyer for regional hog farmers. Since 1989 he has owned his own meat shop in Lodi, Wisconsin, after years of working throughout the industry.
“The business is a model small meat plant, known and respected for high-quality, locally-sourced fresh and processed meat products,” the press release said. “In addition to being a successful livestock buyer, corporate executive and business owner, Clark has shared his time and talents with the meat industry and his community.”
The second recognition of the night will go to Culver’s restaurant co-founders George Culver, Ruth Culver, Craig Culver, and Lea Culver. The family founded the first restaurant in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin, and since then it has grown to 700 locations in 25 states. George and Ruth passed away in 2011 and 2008. Craig and Lea remain actively involved in the business, with Craig serving as chairman of the board of directors and Lea serving as executive director of the Culver’s Foundation.
Finally, Kathy Glass, microbiologist with the Food Research Institute at the Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, will receive the final induction of the evening. Since 1985, Glass has worked with the Food Research Institute (FRI) at UW-Madison. She is now the associate director and run’s the institute’s Applied Food Safety Laboratory. FRI conducts practical research and testing of food formulations, while identifying strategies to inhibit microbial growth and toxin production.
The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was created in 1993 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the meat industry in Wisconsin.


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The beautiful village of Tattenhall in Cheshire
Webteam: August 2015
And so the decision has been made and today the following notice was posted in Tattenhall Post Office.
'Following a period of review and consultation, a decision has been made to proceed with the move of this Post Office branch. We can confirm that the new branch will open (in Budgens) on Thursday 22nd October 2015 at 13.00. the present branch will close at 17.30 on Wednesday 21st October'
In a letter to the hundreds who wrote to the Post Office giving their views the Post Office acknowledged that they had received a large number of responses and a petition from customers and local representatives during the consultation period. They say that this has helped them to understand customers' concerns and to make sure that all such information will be taken into account as they finalise their plans.
Those who attended the Parish Council meeting and those who signed a petition or wrote to the Post Office will be upset at the decision and will hope that they really have listened to their representations
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Charity beer tasting and social event 16th June. 6.45pm -- 9pm We are raising money for BLESMA through beer & beef!! Our intrepid colleagues Martin & Fiona Hilton are running the length of the D Day beaches to raise funds.As an incentive we are hosting a tutored beer & food tasting followed by a beef brisket supper with additional beers available to buy.Martin will take...
Cheshire Art Hub, Burwardsley


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Gin boom boosts spirit revenues above beer
The booming sales of gin have pushed the revenue of spirits above that of beer for the first time, according to the WSTA....
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Late last week, European law enforcement officials announced that they’ve busted an online crime ring and taken hundreds of alleged criminals into custody. Motherboard has the full story on the operation.
The digital key to the bust: Hacking into EncroChat, a supposedly secure encrypted chat app, and scanning through a hundred million messages. EncroChat has bespoke technology that involves dedicated hardware, a custom OS, and exclusive servers. But European officials still compromised the app.
End-to-end encrypted messaging is the source of on-again, off-again battle between Big Tech and D.C. The FBI wants tech companies to build a back door into their products. Tech companies say no. For good reason, they’re worried about backdoor access being abused and potential cybersecurity issues.
Big picture: Breaking into encrypted services more mainstream than EncroChat would likely generate more controversy.
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Every man needs a one, good solid watch that can endure time itself. With its development philosophy of “Triple 10”; 10-meter free-fall endurance, 10-bar water resistance, 10-year battery life – G-Shock has forged a structure that is assured to last.
Absolute toughness. From this, Casio G-shock took inspiration and made the Design the National G-Shock Contest. To give global perspective to the Filipino toughness that each of us embodies. The contest aim to create an authentic watch strap that signifies the strong sense of nationalism and unfathomable spirit of the Filipinos.
The contest started in January with over 1,200 nationwide entries. After rigorous judging, the winning design was announced during the grand launch at G-Shock’s flagship store at Ayala Vertis North on July 5. The design that has stood out was Dylan Dylanco’s, the Grand Prize Winner.
“My design is entitled ‘Habi’, which is an old weaving technique our ancestors used to create art and basic supplies,” said Dylanco. “I hope that my design will remind Filipinos of the Philippines, no matter where they are.”
Dylan’s inspiration was taken from the enclaves of northern Ifugaos to the southern tribes of the Moros, where the use of ethnic patterns is seen as a symbol of bravery. Warrior marks, scarification and intricate weaves represent the wearer’s courage and status in ancestral warrior society.
Wear your toughness with #PambansangGShock. A total of only 200 pieces will be available to the public at G-SHOCK stores nationwide for P9,995 each.
Visit Casio Philippines official Facebook page @CasioWatchesPH and official Instagram page @casiowatches_ph for more information.


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Browse press releases, search archives, and find details about our most recent announcements.
Nov 19, 2015New program helps New York City home shoppers and sellers connect with agents who have verified buying and selling experience in a specific neighborhood
- Oct 30, 2015Driven by rising prices on one-bedroom units, Manhattan median asking rents grew 9.5 percent year-over-year, according to the Q3 2015 StreetEasy Market Reports
Sep 25, 2015Midwood rentals spent the shortest time on market among all Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods, according to the August 2015 StreetEasy Market Reports
Aug 27, 2015Upper Manhattan resale prices jumped nearly 12 percent year-over-year, the largest annual increase across Manhattan and Brooklyn, according to the July 2015 StreetEasy Market Reports
Jul 30, 2015Brooklyn homes sold 3 days faster than Manhattan homes, according to the Q2 2015 StreetEasy Market Reports


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@VE3TRO: "Ubisoft has released a new video for Assassin's Creed III unboxing the mighty Freedom edition and a look at everything which is included."
this looks awesome! I can't wait for AC III to come out.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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A HVG trailer maker which works with the likes of B&M, Sports Direct and Home Bargains has reported its best ever set of results, despite the impact of Covid-19, and said it is in an "extremely positive position" for the future.
Cheshire-headquartered Tiger Trailers has reported a pre-tax profit of £2.1m for the 12 months to December 31, 2020, up from £510,232, in newly filed documents to Companies House.
The business also revealed a gross profit of £7.2m, up from £6.4m and an operating profit of £2.5m, a rise from £1.2m.
The company's turnover however dipped from £47m to £44.1m over the same period.
Tiger Trailers also works with Royal Mail, UPS, Argos, Poundland and AO.com.
A statement signed off by the board said: "The company continued to make positive progress during the year to December 2020 and the directors are satisfied with the financial performance as reported in these financial statements.
"The year was impacted by the Covid-19 coronavirus global pandemic, which led to the factory needing to close from the last week in march up until re-opening on the 20th of April, with reduced active workforce, with many of our workers being put on the government furlough scheme to enable us to operate a socially-distanced workplace.
"We implemented the strictest of measures in terms of cleanliness and social distancing which were successful and enabled us to gradually increase our factory workforce back up to an efficient number by September whilst also ensuring those staff members who could work from home did so.
"Despite the factory stoppage and the other Covid-19 costs which we incurred, the performance in the year is the best in our history, which is testament to the last seven years' hard work by everyone involved in creating the company that we are today.
"The company has continued to innovate during the year, which has enabled it to design and produce more efficient trailers and new products that have not been available in the market before, ultimately brining cost savings to our customers and an increased interest from potential customers.
"Looking ahead, 2021 will see increased activity in our trailer rental activities and refrigerated product range.
"We continue to attract new customers and our confirmed order book is slightly higher than is normally the case at this time of year.
"This, coupled with a strong sales pipeline, puts us in an extremely positive position for 2021 and beyond."


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There's nothing inherently wrong with the software, but Apple has just announced that they will no longer be providing security updates to Quicktime for Windows. That makes it a highly-visible target for viruses and any other threats to your system.
This does not impact Mac users who run Quicktime. Only the Windows version.
Forgetting even the government's warning, it's just a really good idea to uninstall any software that is no longer being supported.


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MORRISTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Systems Concepts Inc. (ASCI), creators of industry-leading workflow automation software ActiveBatch, today announced that JSCAPE, a managed file transfer (MFT) leader, has been acquired. It will become an important part of ASCI’s product portfolio.
JSCAPE will continue to serve its customers with the MFT solutions customers have used and trusted for years. This acquisition now gives them access to ASCI’s deep industry expertise and an ongoing investment in product engineering.
This acquisition presents a great opportunity for both JSCAPE and ActiveBatch customers, noted Advanced Systems CEO Reed Overfelt.
“In our quest to become the #1 Workload Automation software provider in the market, we are bringing JSCAPE into our family of products. We believe this gives us a big opportunity,” said Overfelt. “We can now offer our customers an integrated FTP server, robust MFT functionality and monitoring. Combined with the robust workload automation of ActiveBatch, we can help our customers automate even more of their business processes.”
JSCAPE CEO Van Glass added that JSCAPE customers can more easily expand its MFT automation with the functionality that ActiveBatch offers.
“We are also excited to offer our customers the many workload automation and job scheduling tools that ActiveBatch has,” Glass said. “Our MFT solution will be another great tool in ActiveBatch’s industry-leading workload automation software offering.”
To learn more about ASCI, ActiveBatch and how JSCAPE fits into the product portfolio, please visit https://www.advsyscon.com/.
About Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc.:
Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. (ASCI) is the creator of ActiveBatch software, which helps organizations centralize their business and IT processes in one solution. It allows them to manage everything in a single platform. ASCI enables companies to reduce costs, both by eliminating human error and by allowing them to redeploy resources into more high-value tasks. Learn more at https://www.advsyscon.com/.


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If your children are like mine, they love their iPads. They also drop it, spill things on it, and cover it in food and grime. Here's where the Evo Play case helps out.
Brydge’s ‘award-winning’ BrydgeAir Bluetooth keyboard has announced full compatibility with the brand new iPad Pro 9.7
Suncorp Bank has made fingerprint login available for its mobile banking app in response to what it says is customer demand for quicker access to account balances and mobile banking services.


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Super One Foods Changes Store, Deli Hours Temporarily
Super One Foods announced they will be changing their store and deli hours temporarily during the COVID-19 outbreak. The new hours go into effect on March 17 for all Super One locations, and will remain in effect until further notice.
All stores will open at their normal opening times. Deli departments will close at 7 pm, while stores will close to customers at 9 pm. The adjustment in hours is "to focus on cleaning, replenishment of our shelves, and to ensure the well-being of our valued employees."