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Bitcoin blockchain ja ethereum selitti
contract code lives at its own address on the blockchain as opposed to being within a transaction as in the case of Bitcoin. Though these organizations normally spend billions each year on cybersecurity, hacking incidents and internal frauds happen all the time. In broad terms, blockchains can be classified to private (or bitcoin kurs live chf permissioned) blockchains (enterprise-focus blockchains like Hyperledger, Corda) and public (or permission-less) blockchains (like Bitcoin, Ethereum etc.). Each block in bitcoin is limited to 1MB in size (or 8BM in the case of Bitcoin Cash). Fundamentally, Bitcoin is decentralized and completely secure.
Bitcoin Daily: Ethereum, Cardano Price Hit Lows Bitcoin Wallet - Store and Invest in Crypto
Mavadiya: Which is the most secure and why are these technologies known to be untrustworthy? The justice department in Zhongshan, a city in China, is turning to blockchain to keep tabs on parolees, CoinDesk reported. IOS, Android, Web, available in 25 languages. Mavadiya: Is a Bitcoin wallet more secure than an account with a challenger bank? Mavadiya: How can these technologies be regulated? If there was a mandated code audit, this could reduce incidents due to a possible vulnerability in the code.
Blockchain is the world s most trusted all-in-one crypto company. We re connecting the world to the future of finance through our suite of products including the leading crypto wallet, bitcoin explorer, and market information. The world of the cryptocurrencies seems to be eternally bound to the world of the blockchain. Virtually all approaches to the discussions seem to end on the economic front, but Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, separates the two concepts, being optimistic about blockchain and pessimistic about cryptos. Ethereum Bitcoin Blockchain, news.
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The Klöckner Pentaplast Group announces that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire LINPAC Senior Holdings Limited and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, a film producer and converter for food packaging in Europe.
The recycling of plastic wraps, bags and other film packaging grew 34 million pounds, or 3%, in 2015 to reach a minimum of nearly 1.2 billion pounds for the year. This marks the eleventh consecutive year of increases and the highest annual collection of plastic film since the survey began.
Toray Plastics (America) Inc. announces that Christopher Roy (pictured left) has been promoted to the position of senior vice president and general manager of the Torayfan® Division. The company also announces that John Eustis (pictured right) has been named vice president of engineering and procurement.
On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced that the industry will be required to implement a new Nutrition Facts Panel for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the links between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
Tetra Pak has acquired Johnson Industries International, a company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of equipment and lines to produce mozzarella cheese. The company also manufactures a range of cheese cutting, shredding and brining equipment.
Label Insight's 2017 Shopper Trends Study reveals that 67% of consumers say it is challenging to determine whether a food product meets their needs simply by looking at the package label, and nearly half of consumers (48%) consider themselves "not informed at all" about a food product even after reading the label.

domain: news


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As always, posted for your edification and enlightenment by
NORM ‘n’ AL, Minneapolis
Big-box wholesaler Costco pulled Dinesh D’Souza’s new book, “America: Imagine a World Without Her,” just after the nationwide release of the companion movie, but Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti told WND the decision was not motivated by political considerations.
Galanti confirmed to WND the “pull order” was in effect and that D’Souza’s book is in the process of being removed from Costco stores this week, with the goal to have all copies of D’Souza’s book out of Costco stores nationwide and shipped back to the vendor no later than July 15.
He said the decision to pull D’Souza’s book was not political but was based solely on sales, arguing Costco’s national goal is to market books that show up on the New York Times bestseller list.
The book will make the New York Times list July 13.
Galanti could not explain why Costco book buyer Pennie Clark Ianniciello decided to pull the book just as D’Souza’s movie was being released and the national marketing campaign on the book and movie switched into high gear.
The movie “America,” which has been given a rare “A+” CinemaScore by audiences, opened in 1,105 theaters nationwide to roughly $4 million over the five-day July 4 holiday weekend.
WND first reported Monday that the retail giant had issued the unusual pull order for a new book that is rising on the bestsellers lists. It is currently ranked No. 1 at Amazon.
The book, in this midterm election year, is a strong rebuttal of the progressive ideology behind President Obama’s policies, which have been supported by Costco co-founder and director Jim Sinegal, a major Democrat donor and a speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention that nominated the president. A Washington Post political reporter has noted Obama’s “romance” with the nation’s second-largest retailer.
Costco has sold more than 3,600 copies of “America” nationwide, with about 700 copies sold last week as D’Souza’s film by the same name opened at more than 1,000 movie theaters nationwide.
But Costco’s book department issued the “pull order,” requiring all Costco stores nationwide to remove the book, confirmed Scott Losse, an inventory control specialist in the book department at the Costco Wholesale corporate office in Issaquah, Washington, a suburb of Seattle.
Contacted for a reaction, D’Souza was surprised to learn of the Costco decision.
“If true, this would be very odd,” D’Souza said. “We’re in the process of finding out what’s happening. I look forward to getting to the bottom of this and continuing the strong relationship my publisher and I have always had with Costco and their millions of shoppers.”
Most Costco stores WND contacted Monday had already pulled “America” from the shelves, with others scheduled to remove it with their regularly scheduled inventory changes Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
A few Costco stores told inquirers Monday they were “in luck,” because a handful of books were still available and a few copies remained in the warehouse waiting to be returned. Staffers offered to put aside a book so it could be purchased before all copies were shipped back to the vendor.
WND contacted by telephone and email Costco’s national book-buyer, Pennie Clark Ianniciello, at Costco’s headquarters, but received no response to WND’s questions regarding why D’Souza’s book was being pulled from the shelves just as the companion movie was opening in theaters.
The Washington Examiner reported June 20 that the book sold 4,915 in the first week and 5,592 in the second week but mysteriously was kept off the New York Times bestseller list, where it would have ranked No. 8 and then No. 11 on the June 29 list.
D’Souza told the Examiner: “It’s their newspaper, and they have a right to rig their list anyway they want, but if they are doing it, people should know.”
He said the New York Times list is important to boosting sales.
“It matters to be on it,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to the Hollywood Reporter, lawyers representing D’Souza’s film have demanded that Google correct problems that they say are hampering the ability of consumers to find out where “America” is playing. Google, which has strong Democratic Party ties, is “misdirecting many users who mistakenly believed the film was not playing in theaters,” the lawyers charge in a letter.
‘Major Obama groupie’
Commenting on WND’s story, radio giant Rush Limbaugh called Costco co-founder and director Jim Sinegal “a major, major Obama groupie.”
“He pulled the book. And they’re saying this is not censorship, this is not book-burning. This is just a liberal protecting the man he loves in the White House. That’s all it is. Don’t read anything more into this than there is.
“Here’s the thing about these people,” Limbaugh added. “They are scared to death of any opposition. They simply don’t want to deal with it. They call themselves tolerant. They call themselves open-minded and all this stuff. They’re the most closed-minded, bigoted people you can find and they’re scared to death of anything that’s contrary to what they believe.”
Limbaugh said Sinegal, who retired as Costco CEO in January 2013, “can do what he wants.”
“He owns the store. He can have it ordered out all he wants. I just think all of you who shop at Costco ought to know the kind of people that run the joint and the kind of things that they do,” Limbaugh said.
“It’s not censored at Costco, it just isn’t there,” he said sarcastically. “People have the right to free speech, but nobody has the right to be heard.”
In January, Obama paid a visit to a Costco store in a Washington, D.C., suburb, “proving,” as Jaime Fuller of the Washington Post commented, “that his administration’s romance with the second-largest retailer in America is stronger than ever – and might just be the most successful union of a politician and a supermarket in American history.”
Sinegal spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2012, which nominated President Obama for a second term. Sinegal, who retired as Costco CEO in January 2013, said Obama’s re-election would be better for businesses than a country led by Mitt Romney. American companies, he said, need “a president who takes the long view and makes the tough decisions,” said Sinegal.
“That’s why I am here tonight supporting President Obama, a president making an economy built to last,” he said.
NORM ‘n’ AL Note: Sure hope Mr. Sinegal isn’t having any second thoughts about his “built to last economy” presidential choice…because Mr. O has done nothing so far except pile more trillions in debt on the American people…
In total, Costco has given $100,000 to Obama and another $100,000 to Priorities USA, the pro-Obama super PAC.
Sinegal was the author of an email blast sent out by the Obama campaign in July 2012. Obama also held a fundraiser at Sinegal’s house in Seattle, during which the incumbent president said “the story of Costco and everything that you guys have done I think is representative of what America is all about.”
At least one critic of Obama is not seeing his book pulled from Costco. Dr. Ben Carson, frequently mentioned as a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, has a new bestselling book called “One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America’s Future” on the shelves. However, Carson sits on Costco’s board of directors.
Many other Costco directors are clearly not in Carson’s political corner. Former Yahoo President Susan Decker contributed to the Obama campaign in 2008 and to Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2007, according to campaign-finance website Opensecrets.org.
Galanti gave money not only to Obama’s campaign in 2012, but to Bill Bradley’s in 1999.
Concerned individuals may contact Costco President and CEO W. Craig Jelinek by email or by calling (425) 313-8100 and/or Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Richard A. Galanti by email or by calling (425) 313-8100.
[by Jerome R. Corsi, writing for WND.com]
The damaging policies enacted by the Obama administration are destroying Americans’ faith in their country, according to economist Peter Morici, a professor at The University of Maryland.
“The human cost of this man’s policies is tremendous. One out of every six men between the ages of 25 and 54 doesn’t have a job. That’s kind of a small-scale Greece,” Morici told “The Steve Malzberg Show” on Newsmax TV.
“That’s very sad that it’s come to America, but America is losing its brand. American companies are moving their corporations to Ireland not just because of tax rates, [but] because of how brutally and unfairly they are enforced.”
“Americans abroad are disavowing their citizenship because it’s becoming too difficult to be an American working abroad. You can’t get a bank account, nobody wants to touch you.”
Morici also criticized the IRS for becoming “kind of like the Spanish Inquisition … it doesn’t throw you in the dungeon, it just takes all of your money away if you vote the wrong way, or if you just support the wrong people. Now that’s just not America. I don’t know where you live, but I’m not living in America anymore when that happens.”
Morici is outraged by the forced resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich after it was revealed the co-founder of the tech giant had contributed $1,000 to a campaign fighting California’s anti-gay marriage Proposition 8.
“Regardless of how you or I feel about gay marriage, he wasn’t giving money to the Ku Klux Klan and it was only $1,000,” Morici said.
“How he was treated just indicates what cowards live in Silicon Valley. My definition of a coward is a man who kisses up and kicks down and that’s what you’re seeing among these people.
“It’s really a terribly sad and despicable situation in America. It’s kind of a modern-day version of McCarthyism. I mean, pretty soon you know you’re going to be making somebody’s list.”
As always, posted for your edification and enlightenment by
NORM ‘n’ AL, Minneapolis
The level of employment in the United States has been declining since the year 2000. There have been moments when things have appeared to be getting better for a short period of time, and then the decline resumed. Thanks to the offshoring of millions of jobs, the replacement of millions of workers with technology and the overall weakness of the U.S. economy, the percentage of Americans that are actually working is significantly lower than it was when this century began. And even though things have stabilized at a reduced level over the past few years, it is only a matter of time until the next major wave of the economic collapse strikes and the employment level goes even lower. And the truth is that more good jobs are being lost every single day in America. For example, as you will read about below, Warren Buffett is shutting down a Fruit of the Loom factory in Kentucky and moving it to Honduras just so that he can make a little more money. We see this kind of betrayal over and over again, and it is absolutely ripping the middle class of America to shreds.
Below I have posted a chart that you never hear any of our politicians talk about. It is a chart that shows how the percentage of working age Americans with a job has steadily declined since the turn of the century. Just before the last recession, we were sitting at about 63 percent, but now we have been below 59 percent since the end of 2009…
We should be thankful that things have stabilized at this lower level for the past few years.
At least things have not been getting worse.
But anyone that believes that “things have returned to normal” is just being delusional.
And nothing is being done about the long-term trends that are absolutely crippling our economy. One of those trends is the offshoring of middle class jobs. As I mentioned above, Fruit of the Loom (which is essentially owned by Warren Buffett) has made the decision to close their factory in Jamestown, Kentucky and lay off all the workers at that factory by the end of 2014…
Clothing company Fruit of the Loom announced Thursday that it will permanently close its plant in Jamestown and lay off all 600 employees by the end of the year.
The Jamestown plant is the last Fruit of the Loom plant in a state where the company had once been a manufacturing titan second only to General Electric.
This isn’t being done because Fruit of the Loom is going out of business. They are still going to be making t-shirts and underwear. They are just going to be making them in Honduras from now on…
The company, owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway but headquartered in Bowling Green, said the move is “part of the company’s ongoing efforts to align its global supply chain” and will allow the company to better use its existing investments to provide products cheaper and faster.
The company said it is moving the plant’s textile operations to Honduras to save money.
So what are those workers supposed to do?
Go on welfare?
The number of Americans that are dependent on the government is already at an all-time record high.
And doesn’t Warren Buffett already have enough money?
In business school, they teach you that the sole responsibility of a corporation is to maximize wealth for the shareholders.
And so when business students get out into “the real world”, that is how they behave.
But the truth is that corporations have a responsibility to treat their workers, their customers and the communities in which they operate well. This responsibility exists whether corporate executives want to admit it or not.
And we all have a responsibility to our fellow citizens. When we stand aside and do nothing as millions of good paying American jobs are shipped overseas so that the “one world economic agenda” can be advanced and so that men like Warren Buffett can stuff their pockets just a little bit more, we are failing our fellow countrymen.
Because so many of us have fallen for the lie that “globalism is good”, we have allowed our once great manufacturing cities to crumble and die. Just consider what is happening to Detroit. It was once the greatest manufacturing city in the history of the planet, but now foreign newspapers publish stories about what a horror show that it has become…
Khalil Ligon couldn’t tell if the robbers were in her house. She had just returned home to find her front window smashed and a brick lying among shattered glass on the floor. Ligon, an urban planner who lives alone on Detroit’s east side, stepped out and called the police.
It wasn’t the first time Ligon’s home had been broken into, she told me. And when Detroit police officers finally arrived the next day, surveying an area marred by abandoned structures and overgrown vegetation, they asked Ligon a question she often ponders herself: why is she still in Detroit?
Of course this kind of thing is not just happening to Detroit. The truth is that it is happening all over the nation. For example, this articlecontains an incredible graphic which shows how the middle class of Chicago has steadily disappeared over the past several decades.
Once again, even though we have never had a “recovery,” it is a good thing that things have at least stabilized at a lower level for the past few years.
But now there are all sorts of indications that we are rapidly heading toward yet another economic downturn. The tsunami of retail store closings that is now upon us is just one sign of this. The following is a partial list of retail store closings from a recent article by Daniel Jennings…
And the following are some more signs of trouble for the retail industry from one of my recent articles entitled “20 Facts About The Great U.S. Retail Apocalypse That Will Blow Your Mind“…
#1 As you read this article, approximately a billion square feet of retail space is sitting vacant in the United States.
#2 Last week, Radio Shack announced that it was going to close more than a thousand stores.
#3 Last week, Staples announced that it was going to close 225 stores.
#4 Same-store sales at Office Depot have declinedfor 13 quarters in a row.
#5 J.C. Penney has been dying for years, and it recently announced plans to close 33 more stores.
#6 J.C. Penney lost 586 million dollars during the second quarter of 2013 alone.
#8 Overall, sales numbers have declined at Sears for 27 quarters in a row.
#9 Target has announced that it is going to eliminate475 jobs and not fill 700 positions that are currently empty.
#10 It is being projected that Aéropostale will close about 175 stores over the next couple of years.
#11 Macy’s has announced that it is going to be closing five stores and eliminating 2,500 jobs.
#12 The Children’s Place has announced that it will be closing down 125 of its “weakest” stores by 2016.
But it isn’t just the retail industry that is deeply troubled.
All over America we are seeing economic weakness.
In this economic environment, it doesn’t matter how smart, how educated or how experienced you are. If you are out of work, it can be extremely difficult to find a new job. Just consider the case of Abe Gorelick…
Abe Gorelick has decades of marketing experience, an extensive contact list, an Ivy League undergraduate degree, a master’s in business from the University of Chicago, ideas about how to reach consumers young and old, experience working with businesses from start-ups to huge financial firms and an upbeat, effervescent way about him. What he does not have — and has not had for the last year — is a full-time job.
Five years since the recession ended, it is a story still shared by millions. Mr. Gorelick, 57, lost his position at a large marketing firm last March. As he searched, taking on freelance and consulting work, his family’s finances slowly frayed. He is now working three jobs, driving a cab and picking up shifts at Lord & Taylor and Whole Foods.
So what does Abe need in order to find a decent job?
No, what he needs is an economy that produces good jobs.
Sadly, the cold, hard reality of the matter is that the U.S. economy will never produce enough jobs for everyone ever again.
The way that America used to work is long gone, and it has been replaced by a cold, heartless environment where the company that you work for could rip your job away from you at a moment’s notice if they decide that it will put a few extra pennies into the pockets of the shareholders.
You may have worked incredibly hard for 30 years and been super loyal to your company.
It doesn’t matter anymore.
All that matters is the bottom line, and in the process the middle class is being destroyed. But by destroying the middle class, those corporations are destroying the consumer base that their corporate empires were built upon in the first place.
[by Michael Snyder, writing for THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE blog]
As always, posted for your edification and enlightenment by
NORM ‘n’ AL, Minneapolis
How long can America continue to burn up wealth? How long can this nation continue to consume far more wealth than it produces?
The trade deficit is one of the biggest reasons for the steady decline of the U.S. economy, but many Americans don’t even understand what it is. Basically, we are buying far more stuff from the rest of the world than they are buying from us. That means that far more money is constantly leaving the country than is coming into the country. In order to keep the game going, we have to go to the people that we bought all of that stuff from and ask them to lend our money back to us. Or lately, we just have the Federal Reserve create new money out of thin air. This is called “quantitative easing”. Our current debt-fueled lifestyle is dependent on this cycle continuing. In order to live like we do, we must consume far more wealth than we produce. If someday we are forced to only live on the wealth that we create, it will require a massive adjustment in our standard of living. We have become great at consuming wealth but not so great at creating it. But as a result of running gigantic trade deficits year after year, we have lost tens of thousands of businesses, millions upon millions of jobs, and America is being deindustrialized at a staggering pace.
Most Americans won’t even notice, but the latest monthly trade deficit increased to 42.3 billion dollars…
The U.S. trade deficit climbed to the highest level in five months in February as demand for American exports fell while imports increased slightly.
The deficit increased to $42.3 billion, which was 7.7% above the January imbalance of $39.3 billion, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
When the trade deficit increases, it means that even more wealth, even more jobs and even more businesses have left the United States.
In essence, we have gotten poorer as a nation.
Have you ever wondered how China has gotten so wealthy?
Just a few decades ago, they were basically a joke economically.
So how in the world did they get so powerful?
Well, one of the primary ways that they did it was by selling us far more stuff than we sold to them. If we had refused to do business with communist China, they never would have become what they have become today. It was our decisions that allowed China to become an economic powerhouse.
Last year, we sold 122 billion dollars of stuff to China.
That sounds like a lot until you learn that China sold 440 billion dollars of stuff to us.
We fill up our shopping carts with lots of cheap plastic trinkets that are “made in China” and they pile up gigantic mountains of our money which we beg them to lend back to us so that we can pay our bills.
Who is winning and who is losing that game?
Below we have posted yearly US trade deficits with China since 1990. Let’s see if you can spot the trend…
1990: 10 billion dollars
1991: 12 billion dollars
1992: 18 billion dollars
1993: 22 billion dollars
1994: 29 billion dollars
1995: 33 billion dollars
1996: 39 billion dollars
1997: 49 billion dollars
1998: 56 billion dollars
1999: 68 billion dollars
2000: 83 billion dollars
2001: 83 billion dollars
2002: 103 billion dollars
2003: 124 billion dollars
2004: 162 billion dollars
2005: 202 billion dollars
2006: 234 billion dollars
2007: 258 billion dollars
2008: 268 billion dollars
2009: 226 billion dollars
2010: 273 billion dollars
2011: 295 billion dollars
2012: 315 billion dollars
2013: 318 billion dollars
It has been estimated that the U.S. economy loses approximately 9,000 jobs for every 1 billion dollars of goods that are imported from overseas, and according to the Economic Policy Institute, America is losing about half a million jobs to China every single year.
Considering the high level of unemployment that we now have in this country, can we really afford to be doing that?
Overall, the United States has accumulated a total trade deficit with the rest of the world of more than 8 trillion dollars since 1975.
As a result, we have lost tens of thousands of businesses, millions of jobs and our economic infrastructure has been absolutely gutted.
Just look at what has happened to manufacturing jobs in America. Back in the 1980s, more than 20 percent of the jobs in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today only about 9 percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
And we have fewer Americans working in manufacturing today than we did in 1950 even though our population has more than doubled since then…
Many people find this statistic hard to believe, but the United States has lost a total of more than 56,000 manufacturing facilities since 2001.
Millions of good paying jobs have been lost.
As a result, the middle class is shriveling up, and at this point 9 out of the top 10 occupations in America pay less than $35,000 a year.
For a long time, U.S. consumers attempted to keep up their middle class lifestyles by going into constantly increasing amounts of debt, but now it is becoming increasingly apparent that middle class consumers are tapped out.
In response, major retailers are closing thousands of stores in poor and middle class neighborhoods all over the country. You can see some amazing photos of America’s abandoned shopping malls right here.
If we could start reducing the size of our trade deficit, that would go a long way toward getting the United States back on the right economic path.
Unfortunately, Barack Obama has been negotiating a treaty in secret which is going to send the deindustrialization of America into overdrive. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is being called the “NAFTA of the Pacific”, and it is going to result in millions more good jobs being sent to the other side of the planet where it is legal to pay slave labor wages.
According to Professor Alan Blinder of Princeton University, 40 million more U.S. jobs could be sent offshore over the next two decades if current trends continue.
So what will this country look like when we lose tens of millions more jobs than we already have?
U.S. workers are being merged into a giant global labor pool where they must compete directly for jobs with people making less than a dollar an hour with no benefits.
Obama tells us that globalization is good for us and that Americans need to be ready to adjust to a “level playing field”.
The quality of our jobs has already been declining for decades, and if we continue down this path the quality of our jobs is going to get a whole lot worse and our economic infrastructure will continue to be absolutely gutted.
At one time, the city of Detroit was the greatest manufacturing city on the entire planet and it had the highest per capita income in the United States. But today, it is a rotting, decaying hellhole that the rest of the world laughs at.
In the end, the rest of the nation is going to suffer the same fate as Detroit unless Americans are willing to stand up and fight for their economy while they still can. In the meantime, Mr. Obama will continue to send US jobs overseas in his effort to “level the playing field.” It is already so level that we have a deficit that threatens to completely crater our economy, but we should always trust that government knows best, shouldn’t we? At least that’s what Obama wants us to believe…
[from THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE blog]
As always, posted for your edification and enlightenment by
NORM ‘n’ AL, Minneapolis


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The global financial landscape’s increased scrutiny and penalties for anti-money laundering (AML) failures highlight the importance of robust customer verification processes, known as Know Your Customer (KYC), even more so for African businesses. African financial institutions like Access Bank Nigeria and GTBank have faced substantial fines for non-compliance with AML and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regulations. Effective KYC processes play a crucial role in preventing financial crimes by verifying customer identities, detecting and preventing fraudulent activities, and ensuring regulatory compliance. However, implementing KYC in Africa comes with challenges in ID verification due to varying standards and data collection practices. Overcoming these challenges is essential for African businesses to maintain integrity, protect against illicit activities, and contribute to a secure global financial system.
Expanding KYC Checks beyond Banks:
Expanding Know Your Customer (KYC) checks beyond banks is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. While banks have traditionally been at the forefront of implementing KYC processes, the increasing prevalence of digital transactions and the rise of non-traditional financial services necessitate broader adoption.
Various industries, including fintech companies, payment platforms, brokers, and wire transfer services, need to incorporate robust KYC measures into their operations. By doing so, these businesses can mitigate risks associated with fraud, money laundering, and terrorist financing. KYC checks enable thorough verification of customer identities, ensuring that businesses know exactly whom they are dealing with.
Moreover, expanding KYC checks beyond banks promotes a more comprehensive approach to regulatory compliance. It helps to create a level playing field across different sectors, ensuring that all entities handling financial transactions adhere to the same rigorous standards. By implementing effective KYC processes, businesses can safeguard their operations, protect their customers, and contribute to a more secure and transparent financial ecosystem.
Challenges in Implementing KYC Processes:
The task of implementing KYC processes is not without its complexities. Ibukun Adeleke, a Retention Analyst at Dojah, points out those ID verification methods can vary across different industries. The financial sector, being highly regulated, faces additional challenges in the ID verification process. Furthermore, the lack of standardized practices and best data collection methodologies contributes to the non-uniformity of ID verification processes. Additionally, some users may lack the necessary documentation required for identity verification, further complicating the process.
Stephen Akudike, an economist at RateCaptain also pointed out that a main obstacle hindering KYC processes is the lack of standardized practices and data collection methodologies, leading to non-uniformity across industries. The highly regulated nature of the financial sector adds complexity to the ID verification process. Additionally, some users may lack the necessary documentation for identity verification, posing further hurdles. Overcoming these challenges requires collaboration, industry-wide best practices, and innovative solutions to ensure effective and consistent KYC implementation.
Growing Awareness and Value of Data:
Despite the obstacles, there is a growing awareness among consumers, users, and businesses regarding the importance of data and its protection. This heightened consciousness is beneficial for businesses seeking to enhance their ID verification standards. Recognizing the value of accurate and verified customer data is a crucial step toward implementing effective KYC practices. The increasing reliance on data-driven technologies and advancements in analytics have further emphasized the importance of data. Organizations are now investing in robust data management strategies, security measures, and compliance frameworks to protect and leverage data effectively. This growing awareness and understanding of the value of data are driving a shift towards a more data-centric approach, enabling businesses to unlock new insights, enhance customer experiences, and gain a competitive edge in the market
KYC’s Role in Fraud Prevention and Business Integrity:
Victor Irechukwu, Head of Engineering at One Pipe, emphasizes that while KYC processes cannot completely eradicate fraud, they play a significant role in reducing it. Furthermore, ID verification provides businesses with crucial information about the individuals they engage with. In today’s data-driven and technologically advanced landscape, verifying identities and conducting thorough KYC procedures are essential to ensure the integrity of business interactions.
Roseline Ufot, Head of Customer Relations at Viva Wears explained customer verification and due diligence, stating that businesses can identify and mitigate potential risks associated with fraudsters and money laundering activities. KYC processes help establish the legitimacy of customer identities, ensuring that businesses maintain a trusted and secure environment. By implementing robust KYC measures, organizations can safeguard their operations, protect their customers, and maintain regulatory compliance, fostering trust and confidence in their business practices.
As the global focus on AML compliance intensifies, African businesses must prioritize the implementation of robust KYC processes. Despite the challenges posed by varying ID verification methods and the lack of standardized practices, the growing awareness of data’s value and the need for secure business interactions provide opportunities for improvement. By leveraging research insights and collaborating with reputable identity verification platforms, African businesses can enhance their KYC procedures, contribute to fraud prevention efforts, and ensure the integrity of their operations.


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GONZALES, La. (AP) _ Crown Crafts Inc. (CRWS) on Thursday reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $1.8 million.
The Gonzales, Louisiana-based company said it had net income of 18 cents per share.
The maker of children's products posted revenue of $20.5 million in the period.
Crown Crafts shares have dropped 8 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has dropped 1 percent in the last 12 months.
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CRWS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CRWS


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After late-payment rates on consumer loans fell during the pandemic’s early stages, lenders spent the last two years waiting for what they called a “normalization.”
That return to normalcy is finally here, as delinquencies on credit cards and auto loans have recently either nearly reached or surpassed their pre-pandemic levels. The higher delinquency rates, which typically lead to banks charging off more loans in default, mark an end to a period of exceedingly strong credit performance.
Executives in the consumer lending industry are anticipating that credit metrics will continue to worsen, though they hope the situation will remain manageable even in the event that the economy tips into recession.
Capital One Financial is “assuming some continued pressure on delinquencies and charge-offs” as the economy continues to worsen, a top executive said at a conference Tuesday
“Once you reach those 2019 levels, if things continue to worsen, you can’t really say that’s normalizing anymore, right?” said Jeff Norris, senior vice president of finance at the McLean, Virginia-based lender. “So I think we’re about to drop that word from our vocabulary.”
Across the industry, severe delinquencies of at least 90 days on credit cards jumped to 2.26% in the first quarter, surpassing the roughly 2% rate in the first quarter of 2020, according to a report from credit bureau TransUnion. The increase was driven by subprime borrowers, who have been more vulnerable to inflation and interest rate hikes than borrowers with higher credit scores.
U.S. credit card balances are also continuing to rise, jumping to $917 billion in the first quarter from $769 billion in the first quarter of 2022.
That’s partly because cardholders are repaying their debt at more normal rates, a shift from earlier in the pandemic, when many consumers used their savings and government stimulus checks to pay off their cards more quickly. But growing balances also reflect a continuing release of pent-up demand after spending options were limited during the pandemic.
“As people are using credit more and just living their lives more, we’re seeing balances increase,” said Michele Raneri, vice president of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion.
Rising delinquencies aren’t happening just in credit cards. More borrowers are also falling behind on their personal loan and auto loan payments, and delinquency rates in those segments are now above pre-pandemic levels, according to the TransUnion data.
Weaker trends in the once-booming auto sector have prompted Detroit-based Ally Financial, one of the country’s largest auto lenders, to take a more cautious approach this year. The company dialed up its reserves in case more of its pandemic-era loans turn sour, and it is focusing more on loans to car buyers with super-prime credit scores.
The picture continues to look healthy in mortgages, as homeowners are generally staying current on their payments.
“Homeowners, on average, are in really solid shape,” said Warren Kornfeld, senior vice president at Moody’s Investors Service. “They’ve got record amounts of home equity. They have by and large locked in a large part of their housing costs at really low rates.”
Renters are faring worse, though, as their cost of living jumps. And if the unemployment rate starts to climb, they will come under more pressure, Kornfeld said.
The job market has held up thus far, with employers continuing to add jobs even as the Federal Reserve looks to cool the economy by raising borrowing costs. The country added 253,000 jobs in April, beating economists’ expectations. The 3.4% unemployment rate is the lowest in decades.
Moody’s sees a mild recession ahead, with the unemployment rate peaking around 5%. Under that scenario, credit card defaults will likely reach 5% next year, up from 3.5% in 2019, the ratings agency predicts.
“Consumer credit is all about the job market,” Kornfeld said, and “we are at a pivot.”
Nonbank lenders who specialize in subprime loans have been showing signs of stress for some time, as lower-income borrowers generally accumulated relatively small cushions during the pandemic. But banks, whose customers are more likely to have stronger credit scores, are now also reporting a return to more normal delinquency rates.
At JPMorgan Chase, credit card delinquencies of at least 30 days hit 1.68% in the first quarter, up from 1.09% a year earlier. Other big banks reported similar jumps, with credit card delinquency rates climbing to 1.81% at Bank of America and 2.26% at Wells Fargo.
Though subprime borrowers are struggling more, consumers in the aggregate continue to be “remarkably strong,” and delinquencies remain “very manageable,” Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said at a conference this month.
“When we talk about things getting worse, it’s still from remarkably good levels,” Scharf said during a panel discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference.
So far, the deterioration in consumer credit performance has remained within expectations, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Jon Arfstrom.
Consumer lenders are “taking a watchful and cautious approach,” and they’re bumping up their reserves to cover potential loan losses in the event that the economy gets moderately worse, Arfstrom wrote in a research note.
“Overall, we continue to believe credit can perform better than feared given the health of consumer balance sheets and the still low unemployment rate,” he wrote.
Still, investors are weighing the possibility that a severe downturn will take a larger toll on lender balance sheets, according to Arfstrom, who wrote that sentiment will likely remain cautious “until signs of stabilization in credit metrics emerge.”


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Qatar Chamber’s Chairman HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani participated in meetings of the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry held recently via video conference.
The meetings were presided over by President of the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Peter Ramsauer in the participation of the Secretary General Abdulaziz Al Mikhlafi and presidents of chambers of commerce and industry in Arab countries.
QC General Manager Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi also participated in the webinar.
The event deliberated upon the Chamber’s proposed activities for the next year and approval on the final accounts for 2019 as well as the draft budget for 2021.
On his part, Sheikh Khalifa said that the Arab-German economic relations have significantly developed during the previous years, noting that the value of trade between the two sides reached €44.3 billion in 2019, of which Arab exports to Germany reached €12.9 billion, adding that the Arab investments in Germany have reached nearly €100 billion.
With regard to the Qatar-Germany relations, Sheikh Khalifa pointed out that both countries are associated with strong relations especially in economic and commercial fields, citing their trade exchange exceeded $ 946mn in the first half of 2020 in spite of repercussions of the Covid-19.
“Both countries’ trade volume amounted to $ 2.3bn last year compared to $2.1bn in 2018, an increase of 10%. Germany is among the most important destinations for Qatari investments. Qatari investments in Germany are distributed in a range of sectors such as automobiles, telecommunication, hospitality, banking services and others.” Sheikh Khalifa noted.
QC General Manager Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi said that the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry plays a key role in enhancing cooperation between business sectors in Germany and Arab countries, as well as promoting trade and investment cooperation between both sides.
He noted that Arab countries have benefitted more from the German expertise in many strategic projects especially in infrastructure and energy sectors.
Al Sharqi also said more than 300 German companies are currently operating in Qatar in various fields including rail, roads, infrastructure, construction and medical devices and equipment and others.
He affirmed that we seek through the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry not only to develop trade between both parties but also to build genuine partnership that helps in enhancing German technology in Qatar and Arab countries.


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When Kansas State University graduate student Ben Wileman was a practicing veterinarian in Belle Fourche, S.D., natural and organic labels were a big focus for the beef producers he saw.
"They tended to be terms that were thrown around a lot, but few people really seemed to know what they truly meant," Wileman said.
The definition of "organic" is defined by U.S. Department of Agriculture; "natural," however, can be defined differently depending on who's doing the labeling. But both terms mean one thing: higher costs for producers. That's why Wileman hopes that his research will be another tool to help those in the beef industry pondering whether to abandon conventional methods and go natural or organic.
Wileman, a doctoral student in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at K-State, is examining the economics and logistics of conventionally raised beef versus organic and naturally raised beef. He is working with Dan Thomson, associate professor of clinical sciences at K-State. The research was presented in February at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas and will be presented again in July at the American Veterinary Medicine Association conference in New Orleans.
"The reason we're looking at this is because before anyone decides to go all-natural or all-organic, they need to be aware of what it's going to cost them and cost consumers," Wileman said. "We want producers to be knowledgeable about what to expect in terms of performance and economics."
Although the scientific facets of organic foods have been probed, Wileman said that little research has been done on the economic impact. Using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the K-State researchers considered feed costs and availability, the number of organic grain producers, the supply and demand for such grains going to beef cattle, and the performance impacts. They found that a producer would have to make about $120 more per head on naturally finished cattle to make the same profit as they would have on conventionally finished ones. For organically finished cattle, that increases to about $400 more per head.
The greatest contributing factor to the cost of going natural or organic is feed prices, Wileman said. In areas where there are relatively few certified-organic grain producers, transporting and certifying grain adds a major expense.
What's more, Wileman said, is that research done at K-State shows that beef producers are competing for a mere 2 percent of a consumer's income. He said another thing to keep in mind is research showing that most growth in organic and natural food items has come from the same shoppers buying more products, not from an increase in the numbers of like-minded consumers.
With this in mind, Wileman said there are a few things that the beef industry should consider when contemplating going organic or natural. Producers need to consider that they won't be able to feed their cattle in the same way and may consider forming cooperatives to meet their needs. Likewise, feedlots must be mindful of feed handling to prevent mixing organic grains with conventionally grown grains. Finally, packagers and restaurants need to know that they will have to absorb the increased costs of going natural or organic -- or be prepared to pass those costs on to their consumers.
The K-State researchers don't want to dissuade producers and others in the beef industry from going natural or organic, but they do want to offer information that can help them make that decision.
"There's not a problem with going natural or organic, but there will be production and economic issues that they will need to compensate for," Wileman said. "We want to be able to show what the implications of going organic or natural are before a producer or corporation makes that decision."
Because much of the scientific research on organic foods has centered on fruits and vegetables, Wileman said there is plenty of room to study the performance aspects of organic and natural beef production. For instance, he said that some research already has shown that natural diets can increase the prevalence of liver abscesses in cattle. Little is known about how these diets might affect other diseases like foot rot, he said.
"There are a lot more questions that need to be answered," he said.
Materials provided by Kansas State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Amazon steps up and increases its total Indian investment to $5 billion from $2 billion
Amazon is a name that doesn’t require an introduction anymore. It has become the truth of the face of E-commerce in India. It has paved paths for various start-ups and it has made buying and selling a more convenient and enjoyable experience. Amazon has become a big name in this country. And it has plans to become even bigger.
In the first fortnight of June 2016, Amazon made a major announcement of increasing its budget by three billion dollars. The news was delivered by Jeff Bezos, Chief Executive, Amazon. If the report from Reuters is to be believed, then this development is meant to solidify the commitment that Amazon has promised towards its investment in India.
This very move has already been applied by the market rivals of Amazon, namely Flipkart and Snapdeal. However, the margins of the budget raise of these two organizations doesn’t come anywhere near the capital bank of Amazon. And this shouldn’t be surprising considering the amount that has been announced.
Three billion dollars is a big deal. An investment of this intensity indicates some real strategies. And we can trust the officials at Amazon not to take a decision involving this much capital over a shot of tequila. There has to have been a lot of planning, plotting,approximations and calculations involved. So, it’s only natural to anticipate some big changes around the business.
Jeff Bezos appeared not only enthusiastic but also very hopeful for the future of Amazon in India. He was reported to be saying how this country is one of the regions in the world where Amazon has grown and developed very fast. He expressed his high hopes for the start-ups in India. And with a budget raise this high, we can clearly expect Amazon to execute those high hopes into reality.
Also, what came to attention during the event in which this news was made public, is a glimpse of what the organization has in store for the future.
A Web Services Cloud Region is about to be opened within this year in India. Also, this country is about to be presented with the second largest Amazon Software Engineering and Development Centre. It’ll be located inHyderabad and is expected to be the largest development centre of Amazon outside of the United States.
Now, amazon has been spreading wings for a few years now. Take, for example, its link-up with the Indian Post services. It has secured guaranteed delivery to all postal codes in the country. This, without a hint of any doubt, improved the business, smoothing things over. Now, Amazon has started establishing fulfilment centres across the country. With twenty one centres already built and ready with proper storage spaces, it would be accurate to say that those guys at Amazon have a well laid out plan in front of them.
These people know what they are doing.
But that isn’t really a point of concern. Rather, there is a point of celebration. New fulfilment centres, Web Cloud services and a development and engineering centre means a lot more than just business and profit and publicity.
It means jobs. It means opportunities. It means that the country will benefit from the deal just as much as the organization. It means that this is a win-win situation.
So, while the people get a diversified experience of shopping online, they will also get a chance at new opportunities in their career. Amazon has once again succeeded in winning hearts this way and some business on the way as well.
The medium is well skilled trainers and creative methods of instilling the art of creating new visions and views.


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Human food chain set in New Oxford
The Evening Sun
Immaculate Conception School students, staff and parents will be forming a “human food chain” to benefit the New Oxford Food Bank at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 24. This event will begin at the school,101 N. Peter St., New Oxford, and will extend approximately one block to the food bank.
Over 400 pounds of canned goods will be passed along this human food chain of more than 125 people from the school to the food bank.
Students have been collecting the food during the school year inspired by the word of Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta, “Peace begins with a smile”. The students at Immaculate Conception School hope to bring smiles to the faces of all the less fortunate people in New Oxford this Thanksgiving.


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Public confidence in banks is lower than in supermarkets as profits soar amid the cost of living crisis.
Large Australian Banks ANZ, BNZ, ASB, Westpac Reported record profits earlier this yearDespite economic pressure.
The latest sentiment survey released quarterly by New Zealand Consumer Group found that 39% of New Zealanders don’t trust their banks.
Consumer NZ CEO John Duffy said people were frustrated by high rates and poor customer service.
“Consumers don’t value what they’re paying when they do business with banks,” Duffy said.
“This is the lowest level for banks and the biggest drop since we’ve been doing this survey for over two years. It’s reaching the next level. [banks] Less trusted than the supermarket, the supermarket says something. ”
The worst results were concentrated in the big Australian banks.
“Small banks actually do much better than big banks,” Duffy said.
“New Zealand’s four largest and most profitable companies have the lowest levels of customer satisfaction, while smaller New Zealand-owned companies far outperform.”
High fees were one of his biggest complaints, but Duffy said it wasn’t all the bank’s fault.
“The Reserve Bank is raising interest rates, so if you’re taking out a mortgage, you’re paying far more money.
“It’s not necessarily all banks’ fault, but they’re also paying fees, and they’re also expecting that they’re not returning the level of service that this level of trust suggests. I don’t feel it’s worth it.” ”
These fees, in contrast to the bank’s own huge profits, caused customer dissatisfaction.
“The profitability is going to make people question the level of service they are getting,” Duffy said. “The sector is lucrative, but facing a cost of living crisis that’s going to be really frustrating for some people.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Grant Robertson said he still had faith in banks but understood public sentiment was changing.
“There needs to be a discussion about profits and there needs to be a discussion about how individual consumers use banks,” Robertson said after a pre-budget speech at BNZ headquarters.
“We need banks. Banks are a part of the system in which we operate. We have to justify the level of profit we are getting.”
“I didn’t read [Consumer NZ] It’s a report, so I don’t know how much the benefits are reflected in people’s views of trust, but these issues definitely have to be justified. ”
Duffy said an investigation might be needed.
“I think we need to make an independent assessment of the level of competition in the banking sector and consider whether there are interventions that can be taken to promote competition. I wish I could.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/489811/banks-less-trusted-than-supermarkets-consumer-nz-survey Banks are less trusted than supermarkets – New Zealand consumer survey


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Earlier this year, former Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside revealed that the dimple on the back of the Nexus 6 was supposed to include a fingerprint reader, but that Motorola decided to pass on the feature after Apple bought AuthenTec. Fast-forward to today, and we’re getting a peek at what could have been.
Images of a Nexus 6 prototype with a fingerprint reader have surfaced on Chinese social networking site Sina Weibo. At first glance, the device looks like a regular N6, but peering under the rear cover reveals that the dimple houses what is said to be a fingerprint reader.
Lollipop doesn’t include native fingerprint authentication like Android M does, so it’s not clear exactly what using your fingerprint on the Nexus 6 would’ve been like. That said, it’s interesting to get a peek at a prototype Nexus 6 equipped with a fingerprint reader and wonder what could have been.
Android M does include native support for fingerprint readers, allowing you to do things like unlike your phone and authenticate purchases with your fingerprint. And while it remains to be see what Google’s got in store for its new Nexus devices, the rumor mill has suggested that we could see a new Nexus phone with a built-in fingerprint reader later this year.


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PLAST EURASIA 2015
At the beginning of December 2015, Ampacet participated to the exhibition named Plast Eurasia that took place in Turkey, İstanbul. This is an annual International Trade Fair that gathers professionals from the plastics industry covering all segments.
The fair took place from the 3rd – 6th December with the participation of 1,134 societies and company representatives coming from 47 countries. In this year’s edition the Plast Eurasia Fair attracted 47,306 domestic and 8,269 international visitors.
Ampacet had its own outstanding booth of 84 m2 and was represented by 6 members of the MEA team. Khalil Fadda (Ampacet MEA General Manager), Bahar Özsoy (Sales Manager Turkey), Nüzhet Ezer (Sales Executive Turkey), Etem Şentürk (Technical Segment Specialist-BOPP), Mohammed Kobe (Supply Chain Manager, Ampacet MEA) and Sandy El Sabeh (Customer Service Representative Ampacet MEA). They welcomed more than 80 visitors including existing and potential customers from Turkey as well as from the other countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Bulgaria, Romania, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, Israel and Germany). They also made contact with some current and potential suppliers. As in the previous years, this fair was an enormous success for Ampacet.
Ampacet has continued to develop and grow in Turkey achieving successful results within the last years. Due to the presence of Ampacet at the Plast Eurasia Exhibition and the strong Sales team presence in this region, we have been able to show our strength and continual determination to evolve within this market and gain more market share.
Interplastica 2016 in Moscow recorded considerably more visitors than in the previous year.
Western technology for the production of packaging and related processes, as well as for the manufacturing of plastic and rubber goods is still highly valued by Russian companies. However, the political framework conditions, the fall of the oil price, and a continually weak rouble, having an inflation rate of approx. 15.8 percent last year, as well as hesitant lending as a result thereof are making it difficult to make investments, especially for small businesses. On the other hand, there is still considerable investment needed in Russia and the neighbouring countries. Above all, the demand has been placed on the domestic consumer goods industry, the food industry, and the packaging industry to optimise production processes and product quality in order to be able to substitute imports. Therefore staying informed concerning innovative technologies, maintaining business relationships with suppliers, or establishing new ones represented the main focus of visitors to the Interplastica 2016. From 26th to 29th January, 20,900 specialist visitors from Russia and its neighbouring countries came to the Moscow Expo centre in Krasnaya Presnya – around 1 900 more than in 2015. The atmosphere within the halls was remarkable. The exhibitors reported being extremely interesting business people who were also, in part, ready to make orders. A total of 828 companies from 38 countries presented their range of offers at both trade fairs.
Significant contribution to the development of the Russian polymer market for the past 16 years has been made by Ampacet. This year, traditionally, the booth of Ampacet at Interplastica was presented by sales managers from all the regions of Russia: European part (Moscow, Saint-Petersburg), the Central part (Kazan, republic of Tatarstan), Siberia (Novosibirsk), Ural (Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk), South Region (Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar).
Strong support to the Russian sales team was provided by Mr. Claes Nilsson (Director of sales Nothern Europe) and Mr. Marcello Bergamo (Global BOPP Director). There were 4 intensive meetings held with BOPP producers including 2 new companies. New developments and strong commitment was presented to one of Ampacet’s largest BOPP partners – company SIBUR.
As usual highest interest/demand was shown to the local color service which Ampacet is offering in Russia since 2008 when the plant of color Masterbatches has been installed. Localization of all standard color Masterbatches have resulted in tremendous success. Ampacet Russia has grown 40% and has reached 1.100tons of color Masterbatches in 2015. Futhermore, we expect another 20-25% growth in 2016!
It is also important to mention the high integration of polymer markets of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Thanks to the Customs Union of these countries, all barriers in trading (cancelled import duties, unified taxes and certification) have been removed. As a benefit of this Ampacet Russia has started to export color Masterbatches to these countries and we expect even more expansion of export sales.
Ampacet remains one of the market leaders in Russia, serving more than 1200 plastic converters and Interplastica has confirmed this value.


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AUS: Bega Cheese bids for rival Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory
Bega first invested in Warrnambool in 2010
Bega has made a cash-and-share offer valuing WCB at A$319m (US$224.4m) and insisted the enlarged business would benefit from a "globally relevant" scale.
The company first invested in WCB in 2010 when it snapped up a 15% stake in the business. Since then, industry watchers have speculated Bega could make a bid to buy the rest of WCB.
The bid on the table would see WCB investors receive 1.2 Bega shares plus A$2 a share for their stake. Bega said the offer equated to a 30% premium to the volume average weighted price of WCB shares over the past month.
Bega executive chairman Barry Irvin said the "benefits for each company's shareholders, many of whom are farmer-supplier shareholders, are highly attractive". and pointed to annual synergies of A$7.5m.
Irvin said: "Customers, dairy farmer suppliers and employees will also benefit from being associated with a larger, more diversified organisation, an enhanced market position and a scale that is globally relevant."
He added: "WCB shareholders are being offered shares in Bega which has a record of strong financial performance and value creation. While the potential synergies are substantial, we intend to deliver them while preserving WCB's identity and brands."
Australian group Lion has booked an impairment charge of A$338.8m on its dairy business, which it warned faced "considerable headwinds"....
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SYSCO Co. (NYSE:SYY) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the fifteen research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $60.25.
Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Loop Capital raised their price objective on shares of SYSCO from $68.00 to $72.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Pivotal Research raised their price objective on shares of SYSCO from $53.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of SYSCO from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $64.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of SYSCO from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $71.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $66.00 price objective on shares of SYSCO and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th.
Shares of SYSCO (NYSE:SYY) opened at $57.48 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.77. SYSCO has a 52 week low of $48.85 and a 52 week high of $64.27. The company has a market cap of $29,950.00, a PE ratio of 26.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.56.
SYSCO (NYSE:SYY) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 5th. The company reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.13. SYSCO had a net margin of 2.12% and a return on equity of 58.47%. The firm had revenue of $14.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.58 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. research analysts forecast that SYSCO will post 2.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were issued a dividend of $0.36 per share. This is an increase from SYSCO’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 4th. SYSCO’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.75%.
In other SYSCO news, CEO William J. Delaney III sold 150,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.05, for a total transaction of $8,107,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 526,725 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,469,486.25. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP William W. Goetz sold 11,323 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.00, for a total transaction of $702,026.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 35,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,221,150. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 294,695 shares of company stock valued at $16,866,723 over the last 90 days. 9.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of SYY. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its holdings in SYSCO by 9,055.0% during the 2nd quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 5,707,603 shares of the company’s stock valued at $287,264,000 after acquiring an additional 5,645,259 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its holdings in shares of SYSCO by 11.7% during the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 13,767,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $692,893,000 after buying an additional 1,445,000 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its holdings in shares of SYSCO by 252.7% during the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,928,089 shares of the company’s stock worth $97,041,000 after buying an additional 1,381,441 shares in the last quarter. Parnassus Investments CA grew its holdings in shares of SYSCO by 20.3% during the third quarter. Parnassus Investments CA now owns 7,410,401 shares of the company’s stock worth $399,791,000 after buying an additional 1,250,005 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of SYSCO by 21.1% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 6,120,917 shares of the company’s stock worth $330,223,000 after buying an additional 1,065,987 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.09% of the company’s stock.
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SYSCO Company Profile
Sysco Corporation (Sysco) is a distributor of food and related products primarily to the foodservice or food-away-from-home industry. The Company’s segments include Broadline, SYGMA and Other. The Broadline segment includes its Broadline operations located in the Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, Ireland, Mexico and the United States.
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# We believe firmly India can fight against the COVID-19 pandemic within a few days: Ceragem India CEO
#Ceragem is a Korea-based company provides customers with their experience in marketing based on customer-oriented ethical management
New Delhi, April 9: Ceragem India, a global healthcare specialised company in the country, joined the ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic and donated Rs 20 lakh in PM FUND.
Ceragem, a Korea-based company was established in 1998, developed the world’s first automatic thermal product. It has been expanded to 70 countries including India, USA, and China for about 22 years.
In India, Ceragem was established in 2005 and currently, it has 530 centres operating across the country. Ceragem is a company which satisfies customers and their trust around the world through experience marketing based on customer-oriented ethical management.
Commenting on the initiative, Ceragem India CEO, Ko Sukbong said: “We believe firmly that India can fight against the pandemic due to COVID-19 within a few days by wise action taken by the Indian government. We donated in PM-CARES FUND to support the citizens of India and Ceragem will surely be a company which also has a social responsibility for Indian society in the future.”
Ceragem India has been implementing CSR activities continuously. The company has been implementing “Dream School” project which is to improve and support the poor schools in India under the slogan, “The future of children is the future of India” since 2016. Recently, Ceragem India completed the 6th Dream School in Orissa, March 2020.


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Raleigh, N.C. – Prior to serving as Speaker of the North Carolina House in an era of Republican tax relief, Rep. Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) voted against billions of dollars in higher sales tax enacted by Democrats last decade.
Democrats increased North Carolina’s sales taxes in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009, costing North Carolina families billions over Moore’s objection in his first four terms:
- 2003 Democrat Sales Tax Increase Estimated $700 million H.B. 397
- 2005 Democrat Sales Tax Increase Estimated $900 million S.B. 622
- 2007 Democrat Sales Tax Increase Estimated $500 million H.B. 1473
- 2009 Democrat Sales Tax Increase Estimated $2 billion S.B. 202
Speaker Moore voted ‘No’ on all four sales tax increases enacted by Democrats last decade, taking a stand for average and low-income consumers across North Carolina.
In 2011, North Carolina Republicans gained majorities in the General Assembly and reduced the sales tax rate from 5.75% to 4.75%, saving spenders an estimated $800 million a year.


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Early adoption sure isn’t cheap
The Oculus Touch controllers are fantastic. They slip over your hands and can detect your individual finger movements precisely enough that you get a convincing sense of immersion while waving your hands around in virtual reality. One of my best experiences with the Oculus Rift was using them to great effect for an upcoming game called Wilson’s Heart. Here’s the thing, though: they’re $199.
Oculus announced that price point today during a livestream and also honed in on a release date at last. Pre-orders open October 10, and Oculus Touch will begin shipping on December 6.
Bringing the device even further in line with Valve’s HTC Vive, there will also be a sensor, sold separately for $79, that enables room-scale VR for Oculus Rift. All together, that puts the two headsets at a much closer price point (around $800 for the Vive, and $880 for the Rift with this new gear).


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Attendee registration for the 2017 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America® opens Thursday, December 1. This year’s conference will take place April 10-13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) is an industry event that serves both brewpubs and packaging breweries.
For professional brewers, CBC is the number one environment in North America for concentrated, affordable brewing education and idea sharing to improve brewery quality and performance. The conference is also a great social event with 14,000+ brewing industry professionals enjoying craft brews together. BrewExpo America® allows exhibitors and buyers to develop profitable business relationships and helps brewing and brewery restaurant professionals encounter the latest and best products and services that industry vendors have to offer.
Mark your calendar so you don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this year’s conference and trade show for the brewing and brewpub industry.


text: Sir Richard Branson has promised all profits from his travel companies to combat global warming. The anouncement was made at former President Clinton’s Global Initiative. The money is supposed to be used to fund more efficent fuel technologies, which sorta makes sense for travel company profits. That’s a heck of an expensive gauntlet to throw down for global warming. Here’s hoping the “investment” reaps rewards for us all.


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With cash and customer patience running low, MoviePass takes an emergency loan to stay in business
The lights at MoviePass will stay on — for now.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, the embattled movie theater subscription company said it has taken out an emergency loan of $6 million, $5 million of which will be used to pay its partners and iron out a week of service snags.
How long that money will last, however, remains to be seen.
“The $5 million cash proceeds received from the demand note will be used by the company to pay (its) merchant and fulfillment processors,” Helios and Matheson, MoviePass’ primary owner, said in the SEC filing. “If the company is unable to make required payments ... the merchant and fulfillment processors may cease processing payments for MoviePass, which would cause a MoviePass service interruption.”
That’s the kind of interruption that happened to MoviePass on Thursday, the filing said.
Users had been complaining on social media all week that the MoviePass app was not working properly and theater admissions were not being processed. Those concerns reached their peak Thursday, particularly for those using MoviePass’ card-based system. (The company also operates a separate e-ticketing system.)
MoviePass sought to reassure subscribers who expressed their frustration via Twitter. “To our subscribers — we are aware an investigating an issue that is preventing users from checking-in to movies this evening. We ask for your patience as we look into this and recommend waiting for further updates before heading to the theater,” the New York-based company tweeted Thursday.
Not all customers were happy with the social media communication.
“I’m at the theatre and only now saw this message tweet. Am I to check Twitter every time I want to use your service?!?” one user wrote on Twitter.
On Friday, MoviePass steered customers toward its e-ticketing service until the issues are resolved.
The loan, which comes from the investment firm Hudson Bay Capital, should put an end to the check-in and service issues for the moment, the company said. But how long the cash will tide it over is an open question. Hudson Bay requires a payment of $3 million by Wednesday and the repayment of the entire loan several days later; if it misses the deadlines, Helios and Matheson will face stiff financial penalties.
The company’s chief executive, Ted Farnsworth, told The Washington Post in May that MoviePass had more than a year’s worth of cash available because it could sell stock. He did not reply to a message seeking comment Friday.
MoviePass has enchanted moviegoers — and sent ripples of fear through the traditional theater business — since lowering its price to $10 for a wide-ranging monthly subscription last summer. More than 2 million people subscribe to the service, and executives have said they aim to reach 5 million by the end of the year.
But as MoviePass has become more popular, its cash reserves have been depleted. The company revealed in May that it had just $43 million in the bank but had a burn rate of more than $20 million a month.
Helios, which owns more than 90 percent of MoviePass stock, has continued to tout the service’s potential to upset the traditional industry, even through the cash crunch. “Make no bones about it, it is a full-blown war going on, especially with AMC,” Farnsworth told investors Monday, referring to the American cinema giant. “The theaters don’t like us because we’re too powerful too quick.”
But outside observers have questioned the company’s business model, which requires paying full price to theaters on the bet that subscribers will see few movies each month. Wall Street in particular has been skeptical of MoviePass’ economic viability, sending the company stock down as low as 8 cents per share this month after a 12-month high of nearly $32 in October.
Helios and Matheson several days ago conducted a reverse stock split to avoid sinking further into penny-stock oblivion. That caused the share price to bounce back above $10, though it has since lost more than half its value. The stock ended the week down nearly 71 percent Friday, closing at $2.05 a share.
Yet the firm has certainly had an impact on the larger market. It has prompted theater chains to change from a single-ticket model that had been in place for decades, and rival AMC and other theaters have recently been forced to launch their own subscription services to compete.
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Crystal clear award
Dr Lisa Cameron MP raised a glass to Glencairn Crystal as she presented them with a framed Early Day Motion to celebrate their international success.
The East Kilbride-based company have sold their designs around the globe and recently received the Queen’s Award, which recognises top businesses across the UK.
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP Dr Cameron was full of praise for the team.
She said:“I was delighted to meet with Glencairn Crystal, to celebrate their success in the international market, the work they do in terms of local employment in our constituency and to recognise their recently achieved Queen’s Award.
“It is an inspiration to meet with local businesses who are thriving and who provide a role model within our constituency for what can be achieved.
“We discussed Brexit, international trade and the way ahead for business locally and internationally.”
Celebrate East Kilbride MP Dr Lisa Cameron presents her Early Day Motion to Glencairn Crystal


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Nokia plans to roll out its Life Tools group of services to more emerging markets following a successful pilot program in India, a company executive said Monday.
"The hottest release of the summer," according to Nokia, is not the new iPhone 3G S or the Palm Pre. It's the N97, Nokia's newest high-end phone and one that few people have probably heard of.
The Nokia N97, one of the hottest phones coming out this year, is set to touch down worldwide this month. After months of waiting and speculation, Nokia is finally ready to start shipping its flagship model, dubbed as a "multimedia computer".
Nokia's Ovi app store has finally been made publicly available.
Nokia has opened the Ovi Store, where owners of around 50 different Nokia devices can download applications, games, videos and podcasts.
Nokia plans to cut approximately 170 employees working in logistics, production management and support, it said on Tuesday.
The world's largest handset manufacturer, Nokia, is prepping its long-awaited application store for mobile devices at the end of May. With the new service, which is called the Ovi Store, the Finnish company will try to emulate Apple's success -- only...
Nokia has embarked on an aggressive campaign to promote the Ovi online store among software developers in East Africa.
After acquiring online content sharing service Twango in 2007 and building a new office around the group of developers that worked there, Nokia is now planning to close the suburban Seattle office.
Nokia today unveiled its latest E series smartphone in Australia -- the Nokia E75 -- and also launched a new e-mail service called Nokia Messaging.
Nokia will layoff 450 employees as the Finnish phone giant refocuses its services to take better advantage of third-party developers, it announced on Tuesday.
The new Nokia 6216 classic handset, announced Thursday, incorporates support for NFC (Near Field Communication) technology on the SIM card, paving the way for operators to more easily deploy mobile-payment systems.
The mystery why cybercriminals want a discontinued Nokia phone isn't getting any clearer.
Criminals are willing to pay thousands of euros for a discontinued Nokia mobile phone with a software problem that can be exploited to hack into online bank accounts, according to a fraud investigator in the Netherlands.
Nokia's iPhone-wannabe 5800 XpressMusic smartphone is doing great, analysts say. But Nokia as a whole is expected to report a steep drop in ...
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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Ford Recalls 575,000 Minivans for Axle Problem
Ford Motor (F) said Friday it is voluntarily recalling 575,000 Windstar minivans produced from September 1997 through February 2003 to replace axles that may crack after exposure to road salt, possibly resulting in a crash.
In a "very small number of cases," Ford said in a statement, axles have fractured in certain locations on the right or left side and affected vehicle handling.
The recall applies to high-mileage models registered in 21 cold-weather states, the District of Columbia and Canada where road-salt corrosion is more common, Ford said. The automaker said it will soon notify affected owners to bring their vehicles to a local dealer for inspection and necessary repairs.
The repair involves reinforcing the axle with additional parts. If it's determined the axle can't be reinforced, Ford said, the axle will be replaced as soon as parts are available. The company will provide rental vehicles for customers until the rear axle of their vehicle has been replaced, it said.
In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary evaluation into broken rear axles on 1999–2003 Windstars. At the time, the agency said it had received 234 complaints, including two reports of accidents. Production of the Windstar ceased in 2003.
At its website, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the recall involves 462,750 Windstar models in the U.S. The agency said the recall is expected to begin no later than Sept. 27.
States affected by the recall are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Also See: Toyota Recalls Corollas, MatrixesJeep Grand Cherokee Safety Probe


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Collecting American consumer data
By: Mallorie Sanders
Croft worked for GfK MRI in Chicago for six-and-a-half years. GfK MRI collects market research data each year and it runs one of the biggest consumer surveys.
Croft first explained how GfK MRI’s goal is to help paint the sharpest possible picture of the perfect American consumer.
“They gather information about who they are, what they buy, what media they consume and how they think,” said Croft.
According to Croft, the company gathers data from its yearly Survey of the American Consumer. It’s a single source consumer database and it consists of about 25,000 people per year in the 48 contiguous states. The sampling clusters are re-drawn every year and the data is released semi-annually.
“Essentially, this sample is rotated each year,” said Croft. “So, they get new respondents every year so you’re getting new, fresh, data from a new set of people.”
She said the process of the Survey of the American Consumer begins by sending a letter of introduction and asking for a home visit. Next, the household will be interviewed and offered an incentive. If they agree to participate, they will be given a product booklet to fill out. Once the booklet is completed, it’s picked up and the data is collected.
“From the interview response rates, 59% participate in the personal interview and of that 59%, 64% complete the product booklet,” said Croft. “This is pretty significant because other research companies are in the high teens to low 20’s.”
The questions ask about the household’s usage of 500 product categories and over 8,000 different brands. She ended her panel by showing past data that has been collected and explaining how to correctly read one of GfK MRI’s reports.
Olivia Weber, a senior mass communications DMI major, was a member of the audience and explained what originally attracted her to attending the panel.
“I wanted a more in-depth knowledge of what companies actually take, information-wise, from consumers and I think Kirsten Croft explained everything in a way that was easy for anyone to understand,” she said.
Cody McElroy, a junior mass communications DMI major, also attended the panel and was shocked to hear the process of how GfK MRI collects its data.
“I think how they collect the data is super fascinating,” said McElroy. “I didn’t know the whole process beforehand and hearing exactly step-by-step what goes into collecting consumer data is something I learned from the panel today.”
Croft has worked in the advertising industry for more than 20 years. She says she was originally introduced to research and data from her job at KTBC-TV.
“A long time ago, the general sales manager at KTBC showed me a Nielsen book,” said Croft. “I just had a knack for understanding the research and knowing how to apply it.”


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Hupfeld Hoerder is a name many associate with fashion firsts and innovation in this country and news of another huge opportunity announced last week wasn’t a surprise to the industry. Now soon to be Fiji’s...
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Alleging that Nepal was exporting Chinese yarn, Turkey had suspended the generalised system of preferences (GSP) benefit on export of yarn from Nepal in January this year. It had cited a considerable growth in export from Nepal — around 190 per cent between 2011 and 2017 — without a reliable domestic production base as the reason for suspending the facility.
Following complaints by Nepalese exporters, a Nepal Government team had visited Turkey last March to clarify the country’s position on the issue.
The development followed the visit by a team of Turkish Government officials to factory sites in Nepal this month, a popular Nepalese daily quoted Rajendra Singh, deputy director of Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), as saying.
Nepal exports polyester and viscose blend yarn worth around 4 billion Nepali rupees to Turkey every year. (DS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India


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Will this be a San Francisco treat? The number of retailers, once presumed dead, but resurrected, recreated and otherwise returning to the marketplace continues to
It’s taken a long time, but I’ve finally changed my mind about Eddie Lampert. No, not that he’s been terrible for Sears and has destroyed
The news that a giant Starbucks will open in the Chicago space that was formerly the defacto flagship of home furnishings retailer Crate & Barrel
What part of aging Baby Boomers and younger Millennials being more and more interested in health and wellness does the American retailing business not understand?
Yes, the company had another rotten quarter, with serious declines in both overall and comp store sales and its second consecutive quarterly loss, now the
Whenever I see a big retailer announce a new test concept I immediately get very skeptical. Is this really about a new merchandising concept or


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The easiest way to improve your digital privacy is to switch your IP address using a VPN. We’ll …
If you spot something suspicious in the skies of London, you may want to deactivate the WiFi on your phone. Researchers have been testing a new type of cyber hacking in the city with quadcopters that hover overhead while gathering data from your smartphone. Though the individuals behind this experiment are not malicious, the technology could easily fall into the wrong hands.
A Drone Named Snoopy
The drone used in this SensePost experiment is dubbed “Snoopy.” Unfortunately, the technology isn’t necessarily as sweet and innocent as the project’s namesake. The project was first introduced at the 2012 44Con Conference in London. Researchers shared findings of more recent testing with the drone at the Black Hat Asia cybersecurity conference in March 2014.
At the security conference, developer Glenn Wilkinson offered BBC a preview of the technology. In minutes, he had smartphone information from hundreds of Black Hat attendees. Believe it or not, however, this trick is far from original — Wilkinson says he has gathered data from attendees at every security conference he’s attended for the last 18 months. After collecting the information, he presents attendees with pictures of their home or office to highlight the powerful potential of this sleek little drone.
How Snoopy Works
While the concept of a drone stealing your smartphone data may seem revolutionary, none of the technology used in the device is new. Snoopy simply uses a clever combination of existing technology and takes to the air where previous products of this kind remained earthbound.
Snoopy gathers smartphone data using unsecured WiFi connections. Many smartphone users leave their WiFi on at all times. The phone constantly sends out signals searching for familiar networks. Snoopy intercepts these signals and uses them as an entry point to gather valuable information from the user.
What Your WiFi Connections Say About You
Even before Snoopy has accessed your most valuable data, it can build a profile on you based on your previous WiFi connections. Your home and work are likely included in your most frequented networks alongside restaurants, coffee shops, libraries, and schools, among others. A profile that includes executive offices of a Fortune 500 company and upscale restaurants will make you a more enticing target than one that features McDonald’s WiFi and the local library.
Using geolocation services, Snoopy can even map out your WiFi networks, honing in on your neighborhood and office. Even when you’re not actively connected to a wireless network, your phone is busy checking for nearby connections. To Snoopy, your smartphone is virtually yelling “Home WiFi, are you there? Starbucks WiFi, are you there?”
Using Your Connections Against You
When Snoopy intercepts a signal looking for a certain WiFi network, it can do more than just map out where your favorite networks are. Snoopy can impersonate your phone’s trusted networks, making you believe that you’re safely connected to a well-known WiFi source, when you’re really connected through Snoopy.
While you’re unknowingly using the Internet through Snoopy’s WiFi, the drone has access to all the information and data you’re sending across the connection. In just a few minutes, the drone can collect your passwords, bank account information, and other personal details. This is a fast and easy way for hackers to gather credit card numbers or other data needed to steal your identity.
When developers tested the drone in London, they collected Amazon, PayPal, and Yahoo data. The drone gathered network names from 150 different devices in just one hour.
The Purpose of Snoopy
Snoopy’s developers consider themselves ethical hackers. The technology that they’re using to collect metadata and network names is not illegal, though intercepting passwords and financial data with the intent to use it would be. Snoopy’s purpose is to demonstrate the threats posed by this type of technology. When consumers and developers are aware of the potential for this kind of drone, they can better protect themselves and their technology against it.
The drones that carry Snoopy have stunning capabilities. They can fly high enough to avoid visual detection. Hovering up where you can neither see nor hear them, these drones can exemplify an ever-present danger. The potential for this type of technology is nearly unlimited. Law enforcement could use it to track criminals and their smartphone activity. Meanwhile, criminals could find many illicit uses for such a product.
How to Protect Yourself from Drones Like Snoopy
There’s really only one way to protect yourself from Snoopy’s technology. You must turn your WiFi off any time you’re not using a trusted network. This will silence the persistent virtual voice of your phone that’s always looking for a connection it can use. When your WiFi is on, your phone is looking for a way to connect, and drones like Snoopy can easily overhear the message.
Check your phone’s settings and learn how to turn the WiFi on and off. When you leave your home or office, get in the habit of turning the WiFi off during your commute, if you want to protect yourself from technology like Snoopy’s.
The Dangers of Unsecured WiFi
As mentioned previously, the technology that Snoopy uses to gather user data isn’t actually new. Public WiFi networks have always presented very real dangers that users should be aware of. Snoopy or not, if you frequently connect to free WiFi hot spots at your local coffee shop, for example, you could be exposing your data to cyber criminals.
“Man-in-the-middle attacks” are a common way for cyber criminals to steal your data. Hackers can insert themselves between your device and the public WiFi network, intercepting all the data that you send. If you’re checking your bank accounts, logging into Amazon, or making a payment with PayPal, valuable information from these transactions is exposed to the hacker.
Snoopy’s development is a giant red flag that will help demonstrate the dangers of WiFi. This device neatly shows that even though your phone is safely tucked away in your pocket, it’s still a shining beacon filled with personal data about you, ripe for the picking with the right technology.


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Boxer has unveiled its brand for Birmingham, designed to combat ‘age-old, negative perceptions of the city’. The logotype was developed with TypeMarketing from a font used by printing pioneer John Baskerville.
Nearly 200 students and 50 staff within the university’s Schools of Art and Humanities have expressed concerns that cutting academic modules could affect students’ career prospects and put tutors out
Banking start-up Tide has revealed the portrait card design as part of a wider rebrand by consultancy Article.
Dalziel & Pow has given the building society and bank a new store design that aims to create a more “homely” feel for high-street banks, while ditching closed counters to
Design studio SomeOne has given Parliament a rebrand to make it easier to access and use online, distinguishing it from the Houses of Parliament so it is centred around the