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20 May 2020.
The price of Bitcoin continues to resist a major decline. So far, the market makers and whales have done everything they can to save the price from collapsing.
If it weren't for their efforts, BTC/USD would have already declined pretty.
whales at this point is to suck in the money on the sidelines waiting to.
18 Sep 2017.
Then prices jumped ten-fold in the fall: Bitcoin hit a high of $1,150 in late.
and later revealed thieves had made off with 850,000 bitcoins (which would be.
in turn appeared to give rise to market jitters and the big fall in price.
in August in the form of rival Bitcoin Cash—but this seems to have done no.
Founder Says Mintpal Bitcoin Exchange Is Lost Cause For many enthusiasts around the world at-home mining is not a lost cause, not yet. Many of them can still support the family budget without huge expectations for revenue and profit. Setting up a. 13 Dec 2019. Lawyers for Quadriga users say there are "questionable circumstances". Lawyers representing users of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX are
Following a year of consolidation and growth in 2019, this year marks a key year for cryptocurrencies. We look at what’s next.
Bitcoin Cash price history for the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin Cash or BCH is the digital asset token of the Bitcoin Cash network (similar to how bitcoin or BTC is the.
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is net als Bitcoin (BTC) een elektronisch.
solutions met geïntegreerde functies en hulpmiddelen voor Bitcoin cash price predictions.
Z. Our survey covered 28 states and 33 colleges. We inquired which digital currencies were popular, on which platform.
Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC/USD is close to a strong move above $10,000 as.
Bitcoin Cash Price Analysis: BCH/USD bulls sustain a late bearish charge to keep.
Fear Rises of Black Thursday Reoccurring With Bitcoin Collapse, Analyst .
Bitcoin Parody Why Bitcoin Prices Are Rising 2 Dec 2017. As bitcoin's price passes $10,000, its rise seems unstoppable. But getting out of such an illiquid asset can be harder than getting in. Finance &. 13 Apr 2020. The upcoming Bitcoin halving in May has again sparked a hype about whether the Bitcoin price will rise or


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To anyone feeling emboldened by the proliferation of online black marketplaces in the wake of Silk Road’s demise, take heed: a US man has been arrested for selling guns on the Tor-based site Black Market Reloaded.
As well as charges for selling firearms without a license, Matthew Crisafi, 38, of New Hampshire, is also being prosecuted for conspiracy to commit money laundering and smuggling goods from the United States.
After a hearing in New Hampshire he will be extradited to New Jersey to face the charges in that state.
The rival site opened in April 2013, and almost immediately came under Department of Homeland Security investigation. It is still open for business.
Prosecutors allege Crisafi used regular US Mail services to ship a variety of firearms over a three-month period on Black Market Reloaded, including an AR-15 Bushmaster assault rifle to an undercover agent. Some of the weapons were mailed to New Jersey, in violation of that state’s laws.
quoted Andrew McLees as the Homeland Security Investigations agent who led the case:
Black Market Reloaded has so far been the most popular successor to Silk Road, which was shut down in early October 2013 and its alleged founder/administrator arrested.
One month later, a site almost identical to the original Silk Road went online on Tor with a front page mocking federal justice authorities’ efforts. It claims to be far more secure than its predecessor.
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, institutional digital assets exchange. Bullish group is majority owned by Block.one; both groups have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary, and an editorial committee, chaired by a former editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, is being formed to support journalistic integrity.

domain: news


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There’s been rumblings around the Internet of two new Motorola devices that could be coming at us in the near future. One is the Motorola Shadow, which has been floating around for awhile. The other which hasn’t been named yet, is speculated to be the successor to the Motorola Droid.
While there hasn’t been much in the way of evidence of this phone, something cropped up today that lends serious credence to the idea that the Droid might be getting a bigger brother
A new Motorola phone just passed Wi-Fi certification that bears the model number A955. Those familiar with Droids and Milestones know that those phones have model numbers of A855 and A853, respectively. A Twitter feed claiming to monitor Android device signatures has posted an update from a phone marked “cdma_droid2/A955/droid2_vzw/mot”, pointing to a new Motorola Droid 2 on Verizon.
Hopefully more information will emerge, but this is all we have for now.


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The China International Import Expo (CIIE) 2018, held by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in cooperation with the Shanghai Trade Commission, is being held between November 5 and 11 in Shanghai on 200,000 sq m and is expected to have more than 100 exhibitors and around 150,000 trade visitors from China and other countries.
At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he appreciates the organization of CIIE 2018, expressing win-win and beneficial partnership attitudes, promoting economic and trade cooperation, and creating a strong impetus for regional and global economic growth.
He affirmed that enterprises from different countries, especially China, would understand more about Vietnamese products and its development potential and together promote trade cooperation and sustainable and mutual benefits.
PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN XUAN PHUC AT THE CIIE'S HAPRO BOOTH
Highlights of Vietnamese businesses
Vietnam has organized a national pavilion featuring 25 leading enterprises that are major exporters in agricultural products, aquatic products, processed food, and trade services. Within the framework of the expo, Vietnamese enterprises have held many meetings and exchanges with partners from China and other countries to seek cooperation and investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Phuc visited the Vietnam Pavilion and stopped at the Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro) booth, a member of the BRG Group, where he complimented Hapro’s efforts to boost Vietnam’s agricultural exports to international markets in recent times, including rice products, which have been a driving force of exports to China.
Hapro signed a number of valuable export contracts on the first day of the expo and it expects to welcome nearly 200 customers to visit and purchase items on display.
“Hapro’s participation at the expo is also a chance to carry out the National Trade Promotion Program 2018, contributing to promoting the country’s image and businesses and boosting exports,” a representative from Hapro said. “Through the expo, we hope to boost exports of agricultural products other than rice, thereby increasing our export turnover to the Chinese market by 20-30 per cent in 2019.”
Hapro delegates took pictures with Mr. Dao Viet Anh - Commercial Counselor of Vietnam embassy in China and Mr. Le Hoang Tai - Deputy General Director of Trade Promotion Department - Ministry of Industry and Trade
Since Hapro’s first shareholders meeting post-equitization in June, its business activities have seen many changes, especially in exports. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairwoman of both the BRG Group and Hapro, the goal behind Hapro’s equitization is to continue to build and develop the company into an import and export firm with sustainable development and competitive competence.
Hapro’s development focus is to promote and increase export turnover, making Hapro the leading international brand in the region. It has also successfully built five export items in Vietnam’s top 5 leading exports: rice, cashew nuts, pepper, coffee, and handicrafts.
In order to achieve its objectives, Hapro has developed its export business towards actively creating raw material areas for key export items associated with the construction and development of processing plants, such as investing in an additional rice processing factory and building a clean pepper processing factory in southern Binh Duong province.
Hapro will be able to develop private branded products that are directly exported to foreign retail networks, increasing the value of Vietnamese agricultural products.
By 2020, Hapro strives to reach total revenue of around $386 million (up 45 per cent against 2018), with 80 per cent coming from export activities, while export turnover is to reach $200 million, up 66 per cent against 2018.
Thanks to the implementation of synchronous solutions, including efforts in trade promotion activities, after nearly four months of operation as a joint stock company, Hapro has continued to maintain the pace of development in production and business activities.
Export turnover in the first nine months of this year reached $89 million, equal to 120 per cent of the same figure in the first nine months of 2017. Total revenue reached $167.5 million, equal to 120 per cent. Certain export items continued to record rapid growth, such as cashew nut, reaching $62 million, up 15 per cent year-on-year, and rice, reaching nearly $18 million, up 22 per cent.


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Government, through the Ministry for Food and Agriculture has banned the importation of poultry products from a number of countries.
The countries whose poultry products are embargoed from entering the country include the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Denmark and United Kingdom.
The ban by Government is to prevent the entry of the highly contagious Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly called Bird Flu into the country.
In a statement signed and made available to norvanreports by the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Robert Ankobiah, the directive is based on the sound advice of the Veterinary Services Directorate.
“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture upon advice from the Veterinary Services Directorate has placed a ban on the importation of day-old chicks, hatching eggs, frozen chicken, poultry products and poultry feed from these European countries with immediate effect,” part of the statement read.
To prevent an outbreak of the disease in this country, the statement explained that all import permits that were issued earlier for such consignment have been rendered invalid due to the new directive.
“Importers are to note that all imports permits that were issued for such consignments from Nertherlands, Germany, Russia, Denmark and United Kingdom have been rendered invalid with immediate effect,” the statement added.


text: CALGARY (CP) — Russia has agreed to open its borders to imports of boneless Canadian beef from animals of any age, provided the cattle can be proven free of contact with mad cow disease. The move was announced late Wednesday by the Canada Beef Export Federation, which says it received notification from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ‘‘Russia is the first country that has clearly moved independently from the U.S. in stating what their expectations are for animals over 30 months of age,’’ said Ten Haney, president of the export federation. Boneless beef from animals 30 months of age or less, which are believed too young to develop the disease, must be certified to come from animals born and raised in Canada. They must originate from farms which have never recorded a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as BSE. Animals over 30 months of age must be tested and found free of BSE. Haney said the testing costs could be between $25 and $100 per animal and could depend on the scale of testing. It’s not known if the tests would have to be done by federal food inspectors. Any Canadian slaughterhouses and meat-packing plants exporting to Russia must be pre-approved by the Russian veterinary authority. Haney expects that process to take about six weeks. Canada’s beef industry has lost more than $1 billion exports alone since May 20, when it was learned a lone Alberta cow had been infected with BSE. Thirty-four countries banned Canadian beef in the days following the announcement and live cattle imports remain banned in all international markets. The infected cow never made it into the human food chain. The United States and Mexico have recently agreed to allow imports of some boneless cuts from animals under 30 months of age, which are believed too young to develop the disease. Other countries are expected to follow suit in the coming days, including Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Foreign Affairs spokesman Andre LeMay could not immediately confirm a deal had been signed with Russia. Prior to the mad cow crisis, Russia was a tiny customer for Canadian beef products, importing about $2 million a year in liver. But Haney said that may change. ‘‘While Russia has not been a key export market for Canada to date, suppliers from South America and Europe have exported over 600,000 metric tonnes to Russia annually,’’ Haney said.


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Katie Holmes has reportedly spent close to $50,000 on Christmas gifts for her 6-year-old daughter Suri, a new report claims.
The 33-year-old actress, who will reportedly not spend the festive holiday with her daughter, splashed out on various items including a $24,000 Victorian playhouse, The Sun U.K. claimed.
Suri, who will be with her father Tom Cruise on Christmas day, will reportedly also receive an iPad mini, a $9,000 children's version of a Mercedes car, and designer goods, among other gifts. Cruise, who recently finalized his divorce from Holmes, opened up about Christmas plans.
"We have got lots of very special things planned [for the holidays]. We are all going to be together. I am looking forward to it," Cruise told People.com.
It is unclear what gifts Cruise plans to present Suri with over the holidays, although some critics suspect that he could easily outspend Holmes going by last year's Christmas list. Cruise reportedly dropped $130,000 on lavish gifts for the pair's only child during the Christmas period in 2011.
Last year's gift list included a $100,000 pony, $15,000 diamond earrings, and a $1,500 gown, according to InTouch magazine.
Cruise was recently forced to address criticisms that he had abandoned his daughter following false claims that were made by a U.S. tabloid.
The 50-year-old actor had up until recently not been photographed with Suri for months due to overseas work commitments, which prompted Life & Style magazine to run a story implying that he had turned his back on his child.
"Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She's a vital part of his life and always will be. To say he has 'abandoned' her is a vicious lie," Cruise's attorney Bert Fields told TMZ.com.
"Of course he'll be seeing [Suri] soon. He's [currently] in England finishing one picture and preparing another," Fields previously told MailOnline.


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By: E&P Staff
A Forrester Research analyst has found that only 1% of online households currently download podcasts, and only 25% express interest in them.
“One-quarter of online consumers express interest in podcasts, with most interested in time-shifting existing radio and Internet radio channels,” said Forrester’s Charlene Li.
Forrester’s estimate is far lower than previous studies by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and eMarketer, which estimated podcast audiences this year to hit six million and 10 million people, respectively. Li projected that only 700,000 households in the US will use podcasts this year.
But her projections suggest an explosive growth in the medium over the next four years. She said that the number of users would increase nearly eighteen-fold and hit 12.3 million American households by 2010.
In suggesting ways for companies to use podcasting, Li said that content providers should repurpose their current product into the new medium.
“Content that already exists ? such as earning calls, training updates, and executive presentations are all excellent fodder for podcasts,” writes LI. “Think of us poor analysts who must listen to streamed quarterly calls while chained to our laptops! My caution is that companies shouldn?t be dashing out to create expensive original content for a small audience ?- unless they gain value from being seen as innovative.”


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Wunderman Thompson Intelligence presents The Future 100: Trends and Change to Watch in 2021, our essential trend almanac offering a snapshot of the year ahead and the most compelling trends to keep on the radar.
New trend report: The Future 100: 2021
Jan 21, 2021
Our annual forecast of 100 trends to watch in the coming year.
Cautious optimism sets the pace for 2021 as the world reflects on the challenges of 2020 and enters a hopeful year of economic rebound and societal healing. Big change is already in motion. The United Kingdom exits the European Union, a Biden-Harris administration assumes leadership, and multiple promising COVID-19 vaccines roll out around the world—offering a glimpse of a post-pandemic era.
The Future 100: 2021 charts 100 emerging trends across 10 sectors, spanning health, culture, travel and more, plus a new work section. The report also includes 21 predictions from industry experts, weighing in on their one big projection for 2021. Highlights include:
Culture: New gaming frontiers. Gaming is no longer just for gameplay; traditional gaming spaces are transforming into cultural centers where people can virtually gather for community, entertainment and business.
Tech & Innovation: Data sustainability. Climate-change conversations tend to fixate on physical waste, but what are the environmental implications of rising data usage?
Travel & Hospitality: Isolationist travel. Preference for destinations that offer nature, adventure and solitude are on the rise.
Brands & Marketing: Branding together. A new class of leadership sees brands putting aside competition and instead collaborating to tackle social and environmental challenges.
Food & Drink: Ghost kitchens. “In the same way that, in the last five years, third-party delivery has helped to define the restaurant industry, the next stage of that evolution over the next five years is going to be ghost kitchens and other forms of distributed production,” Euromonitor’s global head of beverages and foodservice research Michael Schaefer tells Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.
Beauty: Intersectional beauty. Politicized consumers and the Black Lives Matter and intersectional feminism movements are highlighting underrepresentation and calling beauty brands out publicly.
Retail: Live commerce. Retail-tainment moves online with engaging, tailored shopping experiences for digital-first consumers.
Work: Micropreneurs. Budding entrepreneurs are creatively kick-starting new businesses—and the economy.
Health: Immunity wellness. Wellness offerings are expanding to incorporate immunity strengthening elements for consumers who want to boost their defenses against viruses.
Finance: Unbiased banking. A rise in neobanks, which operate exclusively online without bricks-and-mortar branches, is addressing the frequently overlooked needs of minority groups.
For all 100 trends, including 10 from each of the above sectors, plus 21 exclusive predictions from industry experts, download the full report.


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TRON’s founder, Justin Sun has reportedly won the bid on the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Heads a few days ago, marking another big win for Sun as a top-class art collector.
According to a recent report, Sun has been able to acquire the complete set of the crypto artworks “Twelve Digital Zodiac Heads” at the Twelve Digital Zodiac Heads Special Auction hosted by Metapoly XM. Metapoly XM is a brand under Poly Auction (Xiamen).
The move reflects an attempt to revive the traditional Chinese culture as the “Twelve Digital Zodiac Heads” is believed to be the one and only NFT art collection that draws inspiration from China’s Zodiac Heads. The NFT collection is apparently a remarkable and significant artwork in the Chinese region, hence it was valued at around ¥9,832,500 (1,545,000 USD) at the time of the bid. In other words, Sun had purchased the “Twelve Digital Zodiac Heads” NFTs at a whopping price of about $1,545,000 on the 31st of March.
Furthermore, it is believed that one of the animal heads in the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Heads NFT collection will soon be listed on APENFT Marketplace for auction. During the auction, it will be introduced as rare, special-breed horses into WIN NFT HORSE, a horse racing game co-launched by TRON, the APENFT Foundation, and WINKLink.
Justin Sun as a Prominent Trendy in the Blockchain Technology
Justin Sun has proven to be a notable actor in the crypto space focusing on the potential of the trending blockchain techs like the metaverse and NFTs.
Aside from Sun’s participation in the Poly Auction, the crypto veteran had previously proven to be committed to the crypto space considering the lots of digital artworks he has. As such, Sun has been recognized as a top-class art collector.
Sun’s personal NFT collections are regarded as part of an incredible contribution to the crypto industrial tsunami.
Sun has been committed to promoting the integration of cryptocurrencies with sovereign states and globally encouraging interests among fans and followers after he was appointed as the ambassador to the WTO of Grenada last December.
Source link: https://thedailybrit.co.uk/the-nft-collector-justin-sun-is-not-the-great-gatsby-in-crypto-world/


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CAPE TOWN - Good morning. This is all the latest business news that you need to know today.
Multi-award-winning international sports equipment retailer, Net World Sports, has launched a new website to better serve customers in South Africa with their products that have graced the likes of the UK’s Premier League, the US’s Major League Soccer and the Australian A-League.
Sappi's share price declined by more than 8 percent on the JSE after the group reported a 29 percent decline in profits for the second quarter to end March to $72 million (R1.04 billion), negatively impacted by a declining demand of its major graphic paper product categories, which were down between 8 percent and 13 percent in Europe and North America.
Steinhoff International’s share price tumbled more than 20 percent on the JSE on Thursday, in a belated reaction to its results published when the market closed on Tuesday.
The recent Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) regulations for out-of-data bundles has hit MTN South Africa’s service revenue in the quarter to March, the company said yesterday as it prepares to list its Nigeria unit in Lagos later this month.
AngloGold Ashanti on Thursday announced plans to sell all its remaining South African mine Mponeng, the world’s deepest mine outside Carletonville, as the company exits from the country.
Discovery Vitality is launching HealthyDining – a brand-new Vitality benefit that offers members up to 25 percent cash back on healthier meal options when ordering takeaway food via the Uber Eats app.
JSE-listed property company Equites Property Fund, whose footprint extends to the UK, grew its overall portfolio by 47.6 percent to R12 billion in the year under review.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE


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A lot of ifs surround soybean market and proposed tariffs
By KRISTIN DANLEY-GREINER
The U.S. Soybean Export Council believes uncertainty surrounding trade between the U.S. and China has fueled the halt in new soybean sales to that country.
While soybean shipments to China do slow down somewhat around this time of year, the council believes the stagnancy stems from the proposed tariffs issued by both countries. USSEC chief executive officer Jim Sutter said that if tariffs were imposed, most of America’s market opportunity to ship U.S. soy to China would be hurt. Currently one-third of U.S. soybeans are exported to China and comprise almost 40 percent of that country’s soy imports.
Chad Hart, economist with Iowa State University Extension, confirmed that if the tariffs would take effect, soybean prices would fall as the drop in Chinese soybean purchases from the U.S. would become more permanent until the tariff is lifted. China likely would still purchase soybeans from the U.S. with the tariff in place, just not as much as before, he said.
His best guess of the drop in prices? Ten to 12 percent. But, the good news is that the decline likely wouldn’t last long.
“As China would move some purchases from the U.S. to South America, that would open up other markets to the U.S. that are currently being filled by Brazil and Argentina,” he said. “A few weeks after the tariff hits, we would likely see prices partially rebound as those other markets slowly absorb some of the soybeans that would have originally been shipped to China. But I don’t think prices would fully recover, barring a short crop this fall, because the drop in Chinese purchases will be larger than the growth in other markets, i.e, global demand for soybeans falls.”
Hart said that China has shifted its purchase power to South America, but will continue to buy some new crop soybeans from the U.S. in the meantime. The question remains, though, whether or not China will back off on the new crop purchases.
“They haven’t bought as much as they did last year, so that’s something we’ll watch over the next couple of months and see if there are any issues cropping up there,” he said. “The markets responded strongly to the initial announcement of proposed tariffs, but recovered almost as quickly. The markets are trading under the assumption that the U.S. and China will figure this out sooner rather than later,” Hart said.
Keota, farmer Lindsay Greiner is president-elect of the Iowa Soybean Association who farms 1,400 acres with his son in southeastern Iowa. Sixty percent of his crop is corn; 40 percent is planted to beans. He admitted to being worried not just about crop prices, but the market opportunities possibly being lost because of the trade issues.
“We have a market there that we’ve spent 35 years developing and it’s grown almost every year in those 35 years. We’re worried about losing that market. Some of us older guys still remember the Russian grain embargo back in the ’70s and how that affected our markets; that’s one of our biggest concerns,” Greiner said.
Greiner believes the soybean market would take a “drastic dive” if the proposed tariffs were implemented. Still, he hasn’t changed his operation’s marketing plan much in light of the looming concerns.
“I have concerns about the tariff war and what it could do to the soybean market, but I also am hopeful that current negotiations can iron out some of the trade problems. There’s way too much at stake for both countries to not work out a deal that benefits both of us,” he said.
Representatives from U.S. soybean-farmer-led organizations joined their counterparts from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Canada to discuss the benefits of biotechnology with Chinese stakeholders during the International Soy Grower’s Alliance (ISGA) mission trip to China recently.
Also, a U.S. trade delegation led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross that also includes U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, and Peter Navarro, who is director of trade and industrial policy in the White House, opened up trade talks in China that began May 3. Liu He, a Chinese vice premier and Xi’s top economic adviser, is leading the Chiense delegation.
Greiner said that word coming back from the trade talks has been positive so far.
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|Indonesian Anti-Dumping Committee has initiated an anti-dumping investigation of relevant colour-coated steel sheet imported from China and Việt Nam. – VNA Photo|
HÀ NỘI – Indonesian Anti-Dumping Committee (KADI) has initiated an anti-dumping investigation of relevant colour-coated steel sheet imports from China and Việt Nam.
This was revealed by the Việt Nam Competition Authority (VCA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
VCA said the investigation could be implemented for 12 months and extended to 18 months if required.
The decision was made following the complaint by PT NS BlueScope Indonesia alleging that repeated illegal trade practices have devastated production and employment and are causing irreparable harm to the Indonesian steel industry. The colour-coated steel being investigated have HS codes of 7210.70.10.00, 7212.40.10.00 and 7212.40.20.00.
Large Indonesian steelmakers are seeking an anti-dumping investigation and the imposition of tariffs on steel imports from both Việt Nam and China.
KADI said from July 2015 to June 2016, Indonesia imported 224,120 tonnes of colour-coated steel, of which, imports from Việt Nam and China were 196,191 tonnes, accounting for 87.5 per cent of the country’s total steel imports.
VCA said Vietnamese colour-coated steel has been also under investigation by Thailand following the complaint of the NS BlueScope Company. The product can be levied anti-dumping taxes of 4.51 to 60.26 per cent in Thailand. – VNS


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This might put a smile on your face!!! ATM withdrawal limit raised to Rs 10,000
New Delhi, Jan 16: This might put a smile on your face.
RBI has announced that the cash withdrawal limit from ATMs has been risen to Rs 10,000 per day per card from Rs 4,500 rupees currently.
The withdrawal limits have been in place ever since November 8, 2016 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.


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The White House has declined to act on two petitions, collectively signed by 90,000 people, that called for the president to fire the federal prosecutors who charged the late Internet activist Aaron Swartz with computer hacking.
A group of activist groups and Internet companies are planning a coordinated protest of U.S. National Security Agency surveillance on Feb. 11, with the hope that millions of people will join them.
Two U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bill that would prevent the Department of Justice from prosecuting people for violating terms of service for Web-based products, website notices or employment agreements under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFA...
E-commerce trade group NetChoice takes aim at state legislation -- and at open access and privacy advocates -- in the newest list of bills it deems would be awful for the Internet.
A U.S. federal court has modified a protective order to allow disclosure of the court records of Internet activist Aaron Swartz, but ruled that names and other personal identifying information of those involved in his arrest and prosecution should be...
The U.S. Department of Justice's copyright infringement case against file storage service Megaupload is "prosecutorial overreach" based on a misreading of U.S. law, the site's lawyers argue in a white paper released Tuesday.
A proposal in the U.S. Congress to strengthen the penalties in the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is a "giant leap in the wrong direction" for digital rights activists calling for changes in the law after the suicide of hacktivist Aaron Swartz earlier ...
The U.S. Congress may need to create stiffer penalties for criminal computer hacking to deter the growing number of attacks on U.S. government agencies and businesses, some lawmakers said Wednesday.
U.S. lawmakers pledged to rewrite an antihacking law as hundreds of people gathered in Washington, D.C., to mourn the death of Internet activist and innovator Aaron Swartz.
Demand Progress, the tech activist group founded by the late Aaron Swartz, and Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig have called on supporters to press the U.S. Congress to investigate Swartz's prosecuting attorney and to pass a law to decriminalize ...
The main U.S. law targeting cybercrime may need to be changed because it has allowed law enforcement agencies to target people who simply violate websites' terms of service or their employers' computer use policies, two senators said Wednesday.
The cofounder of online news site Reddit has been charged with computer intrusion, fraud and data theft for allegedly stealing 4.8 million documents from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology network, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
New U.S. legislation intended to shut down foreign websites that infringe copyrights would cause major headaches because it would allow copyright holders to target legitimate Web services with "thousands" of court orders, an e-commerce trade group sa...
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Starting October 12, 2020 Facebook will remove its 28-day attribution option for ads. Ad accounts will default to a 7-day attribution setting.
Boo! 👻Now this is surprising news for marketers.
And also boo, we hate to hear it because it’s another big change in an already very unpredictable year!
What’s causing this change?
Facebook’s official announcement cited digital privacy initiatives that will affect multiple browsers and limit Facebook from gaining the same level of information that allows them to attribute for a longer window.
Facebook argues that the 7-day attribution model provides a more realistic view of ad impact than previous standard 28-days, so fingers-crossed this won’t put too much of a strain on advertisers. 🤞
What can you do to prepare for this change?
- Facebook recommends advertisers download any relevant data tied to the 28-day attribution model prior to that date.
- If you use this data for your tracking (which is often the case for pricier items), you might need to come up with a game plan to adapt to the new 7-day window standard.
- If you have any automated rules based on the 28-day model, definitely update them before the rule reverts to the 7-day model on October 12.
What else is new?
Well, it seems like the hits start coming and they don’t stop coming--but not all of them are bad. In just a few weeks Facebook has also announced that:
📣 They would no longer be enforcing the infamous 20% text limit rule for ad creative.
📣 They will start limiting ads volume.
We’ve got our ear to the ground about any future changes from Facebook, but it seems like with 2020 going the way it is, it’s anyone’s guess what happens next!


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It’s been a while since we’ve gone under the gavel, so we bring you back with this installment of yet another patent infringment dispute. A company named Tsera, LLC has filed a suit in Texas Eastern District Court alleging that more than 20 companies, among them Microsoft, Philips, LG, and, naturally, Apple, have violated Tsera’s patent for touch-sensitive interfaces.
Patent 6,639,584, granted in 2003, covers “Methods and apparatus for controlling a portable electronic device using a touchpad.” The patent describes ways to use finger gestures to operate a device, such as an MP3 player, in order to help reduce the need for buttons, enhance usability, and cut manufacturing costs. On the face of it, sure, that would seem pretty damning for Apple, especially as Tsera claims that Cupertino has been aware of the patent since 2004 and has been blatantly ignoring it.
On the other hand, the fact that this suit was filed in Texas and that you’ve never heard of Tsera, LLC should raise some red flags. Texas courts are notorious for being friendly to plaintiffs in patent infringement suits, and I couldn’t turn up hide nor hair of Tsera. Nor will you find Tsera mentioned in the filed patent, which is registered under the name of inventor Chuang Li of Saratoga, California.
Despite the many defendants named in the suit, Apple is particularly in the crosshairs—gee, wonder why?—and Tsera is seeking triple damages from the company, as well as royalties from all further use of touchpad technology by the defendants.
Given that Apple’s iPods have been using touch-sensitive technology in some form or another since the second-generation iPod, one wonders why Tsera waited so long to file its suit. And while I’m about as far from a lawyer as you can get without actually being Mark-Paul Gosselar, I’d guess that this will follow a couple steps: 1) Apple’s lawyers (and those of the company’s co-defendants) will try to get the case dismissed via whatever means they can; 2) if that fails, the defendants will try to settle out of court—after all, nothing ends patent litigation like big sacks of unmarked non-sequential bills in small denominations.
Then again, maybe I’m wrong, and this will become the trial of the century, the 12 Angry Men of our times, taught in history class alongside the Scopes Monkey Trial. But I’m going to go out on a limb and say “probably not.”


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Freight Not Affected by Canada and Mexico Border Closings
The United States temporarily closed its Canada and Mexico borders to non-essential travel
while continuing to allow the movement of goods between countries. The closings are intended to slow the spread of the Coronavirus.
Trucks continue to move relatively freely to and from both countries. Air and rail freight are also largely unaffected by the border closings.
Officials stressed the need to keep supply chains open during the pandemic and said the borders will remain open for freight barring any unforeseen need to stop the movement of goods.


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Adidas brand members John Wall and Damian Lillard sport their special edition shoes to celebrate the arrival of spring season.
John Wall and Damian Lillard have new special edition shoes set for release later this month by adidas and these kicks are a reflection of their respective cities.
John Wall has debuted custom Adidas sneakers designed to commemorate Black History Month. Fittingly, he wore the shoes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day during the Wizards' win over the 76ers.
The profile of the Washington Wizards has risen since they advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs last season.
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III commemorated Memorial Day by outfitting his entire high school football team with adidas cleats.


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SEATTLE—YanksCash has added nearly 4,000 new promo tools for its participating webmasters.
“We’ve just made it easier for our affiliates to earn money with the help of our exclusive Yanks and YanksVR content,” said Yanks CMO Todd Spaits.
YanksCash is the affiliate program of amateur erotica studios and content sites Yanks and YanksVR.
Yanks has added 900 photo sets and 629 three-minute sample videos for download, 564 1-minute embedded videos and more than 1,500 free hosted video and photo galleries.
YanksVR offers 82 embedded 1-minute videos, 30 downloadable three-minute sample videos and 83 free hosted one-minute video galleries.
“The VR Free Hosted Video Galleries are the most interesting tool as so few other have them,” Spaits said. “We are currently using the VR Delight Player in the gallery.”
YanksCash offers reliable payouts, as well as excellent content and customer service. A portion of every Yanks.com sale sent through an affiliate partner goes towards charitable donations.
Yank began publishing everyday women having first-time sex on camera in 2002, and continues to deliver high-quality erotic entertainment featuring all-natural women in real sexual situations experiencing real orgasms to the delight of its many legions of fans worldwide.
For more information visit .


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To keep paying top dollar, more buyers are opting for 84- and 96-month financing. The latter now makes up 10 per cent of the market, up from six per cent before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canadians were able to afford high prices when interest rates were “stupid low,” Karwel said.
“We could handle the pricing because prices were ameliorated by low interest rates. Our concern for the new year is payment affordability will be greatly affected because automakers are still spending near-record lows on incentives.”
He said automakers are only offering about five per cent of the MSRP in incentives. In 2019, it was about 15 per cent.
“Without more incentive money to offset central bank actions to curb inflation, we might hit a payment affordability crisis,” Karwel said. “The key context is not falling off a cliff, but cooling off.
“How much pricing and payment…do you think we can keep driving upwards as we go into a recession this year?”
Shahin Alizadeh, CEO of the 11-store Downtown Auto Group, said incentives are starting to come “in dribs and drabs.”
“It’s a different market” today than even a year ago.
“The significant savings customers had, based on [low] interest rates because they were borrowing from credit lines or OEM captives, have disappeared now,” he said.
He called today’s buyers more cautious and said they’re opting for fewer bells and whistles to keep costs down.
WORST SALES YEAR SINCE 2009
The 1.50 million light-duty vehicle sales in 2022 were less than the 1.55 million sold in pandemic-hampered 2020. And it was the worst sales total on record since 2009, when automakers sold just 1.46 million amid the Great Recession triggered by the financial crisis.
Still, most dealers enjoyed financial success in 2022.
Without providing a figure, Karwel said dealers posted record profitability in 2022.
“Dealers are making very good money,” he said.
Alizadeh said 2022 was good for him, but not as good as 2021.
“I think the industry celebrated very surprising financial results. Margins were high, inventory was tight, the used cars were strong,” he said of 2021. “Twenty twenty-two was not the same. We held our own in 2022, we were slightly off of 2021, and that was a bit surprising because we expected to see a bit more inventory.”
Hyundai Canada CEO Don Romano agreed.
“Our dealers had a record year for profitability. I wouldn’t say it’s excessive. It’s where it should be. I don’t think there are any Hyundai dealers out there who would tell you they’re disappointed with 2022 in respect to profitability. They sold fewer cars and made more money. That’s a good combination.”
STELLANTIS, GM CANADA POST 2022 GAINS


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California Ag Today
Idaho Ag Today
Artificial Intelligence Opens New Farming Possibilities
WORKFORCE ACTIVISM Pt 2
New BLM Director Pt 1
The Agribusiness UpdateMorocco market opens for U.S. Beef, and American Dairy Coalition calls on Trump to liquidate U.S. Cheese surplus.
The Agribusiness UpdateChina is expected to begin U.S. soybean buying this month, and National Cattlemen's Association applauds trade deal in Morocco for U.S. beef.
The Agribusiness UpdateBayer slashing jobs as part of Monsanto acquisition, and U.S. beef and beef products now allowed in Morocco.


text: Congratulations to our adorable Grace student who is amongst this year’s Angels for Allison Art Contest winners! Her artwork will be featured on merchandise sold to benefit the Angels for Allison foundation. Angels for Allison is a local organization that raises money to help families in need to cover funeral expenses incurred due to the loss of a child. All winning students were recognized at the annual Angels for Allison holiday open house held this week. Notecard sets featuring student artwork are for sale at www.angelsforallison.org, with all proceeds benefitting the foundation.


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Overall complaints to the FTC were down slightly in 2007 from the year before*, but the number and percentage of complaints about debt collectors are up. That’s according to the Federal Trade Commission’s latest annual report on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
This mirrors an increase in debt collection complaints in this state as well.
In 2007 nationwide, consumer complaints about third-party debt collectors went up “in absolute terms and as a percentage of all complaints.” The FTC received 70,951 such complaints last year, compared with 69,249 the year before.
More than a third involved consumer reports that collectors demanded larger debt payments than allowed by law. Some said collectors were going after debts consumers didn’t owe or were discharged in bankruptcy.
In the next biggest category, consumers complained of being repeatedly harassed. In some cases, consumers reported obscene or abusive language. Both situations, however, were slightly down as a percentage of overall debt collection complaints.
Read the full FTC report here (PDF, 16 pp).
Find FTC tips on how to handle debt collectors here.
*This doesn’t include identity theft or Do Not Call registry complaints.


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The Halal Guys, the New York City–based American Halal street-food concept, announced the signing of a new franchise deal for Houston.
The new franchisee signed on to develop five units in the Houston area, representing half of the total available market, leaving more stores available for purchase in the same territory.
The Halal Guys was named to Time magazine’s Top 10 Yelped Businesses of 2013, and has recently been featured in The New York Times, on Bloomberg TV’s “Taking Stock with Pimm Fox,” and on Fox News alongside Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe. Featuring high-quality, proprietary ingredients and secret recipes, this street-food concept serves chicken and gyro meat platters over rice, topped with the signature white sauce.
After announcing plans to franchise in The New York Times and at the International Franchise Expo in New York City, The Halal Guys is now expanding internationally through a combination of company- and franchise-owned stores, starting with the first two brick-and-mortar locations in New York City. It has also signed multiunit franchise deals for Southern California, Washington D.C., and the Philippines.
The Halal Guys founder, Mohamed Abouelenein, told The NY Daily News about the brand’s new East Village restaurant, “For me, the [East Village restaurant] is not my aim. … This is just the first step. I am imagining something bigger than this.”
Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill, is partnering with The Halal Guys to expand the brand worldwide. Fransmart’s penetration plan will focus on top markets in North America, seeking real estate in mass gathering areas like airports, train stations, malls, and neighborhoods with a significant late-night demand, as well as the Middle East.


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They say that nothing is sexier than a fancy car, but what about a model interviewing the owners of those fancy cars? We tried to find out when Nina Agdal visited the antique car exhibit at Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade.
More from SwimLife
Our favorite car owner was Jim (above), who let Nina know that he took his pills that morning so "everything is good." We also have nothing but love for the guy who named his car "Nina" in honor of his favorite SI Swimsuit model.
SI Swimsuit's invasion of Coney Island was among our favorite trips in recent memory, especially Hailey Clauson's reign as Mermaid Parade Queen and Nina hanging out with some of the more colorful parade attendees. The best news is we have even more tricks up our Coney Island sleeve. Stay tuned...
BONUS: See our favorite photos from the 2016 Coney Island Mermaid Parade!


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Those cybercriminals who are responsible for the cyberattack on MediaMarkt have largely shut down their business as a result of a ransomware attack. The attackers demand $50 million in bitcoin in ransom. Negotiations regarding the ransom amount are currently underway.
This is apparent from research by RTL Nieuws.
Yesterday RTL Nieuws revealed that the MediaMarkt was the target of a cyber attack. The company spokesperson could not confirm at the time whether it was a ransomware attack or whether something else was going on. Employees confirmed anonymously that everything was ‘encrypted’.
In an internal email to employees, the company requested that the internet cables be disconnected from the tills and not reboot the systems. Customers can go to the stores to buy new products. Picking up orders or returning products is still not possible due to the attack. Branches in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany were the victims of the attack.
We are now a day further and more details are coming out about the cyber
Read the article


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Twilio, the cloud software service that gives developers the ability to add phone calls, text messaging and other communications features to their applications, has reached a deal to acquire Authy, a small startup with a two-factor authentication app.
Financial terms aren’t being disclosed, but Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson, in an interview with Re/code, said that the Authy app will continue as a standalone service, but its capabilities will also be added to Twilio’s API, allowing developers to enhance the security of their apps.
Authy helps users manage their two-step authentication information for services like Google’s Gmail, Evernote, WordPress, Dropbox and Facebook. Two-factor authentication systems use a constantly changing number generated on or sent to a smartphone as a second password to make an account harder to hack. It supports as many as 6,000 different websites.
Twilio is the service that apps like Uber and Airbnb use to connect people who use the apps. When you summon a ride from Uber, any calls or texts between you and your driver are handled in the cloud via Twilio. About a half million developers around the world in 200 countries are using Twilio.
Lawson says there has been a demand among Twilio’s developer base to add the ability to beef up account security. “Every login box on the Web needs that extra layer of security,” he said. “Developers building on top of Twilio have had to learn how to implement two-factor authentication on their own.”
Authy’s API makes it relatively simple to add that extra security to any app.
The deal also constitutes Twilio’s first acquisition. It’s starting to make noises about an IPO, and last week it disclosed it had crossed the threshold to a run rate of $100 million in revenue. It has raised $104 million from venture capital firms including Bessemer Venture Partners and Union Square Ventures, and was in 2013 said to be valued in the neighborhood of $500 million.
Authy is an early-stage company with about 20 employees that emerged from Y Combinator in 2012, and had raised a little less than $4 million from seed-stage investors.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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UnitedHealth Uses Cheap Hearing Aids to Boost Medicare Sales
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), the largest U.S. health insurer by revenue, said it will sell a line of low-cost hearing aids to at least 36 million Americans with hearing loss in the first such program offered by an insurer.
The devices will be available to UnitedHealth customers through Medicare managed care and prescription drug plans for no out-of-pocket cost to some consumers and a co-pay of up to $649 for others depending on their plan, the company said in a statement. Hearing aids typically sell for from $2,000 to $4,000, according to the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based insurer.
The insurer provides Medicare benefits to almost 7 million consumers, making it the biggest provider under the U.S. health plan for the elderly and disabled. UnitedHealth shares fell as the overall market declined. IntriCon Corp. (IIN), the hearing aid manufacturer that will supply the devices, soared 37 percent.
“Even before health reform, we heard across the board from customers that this was a benefit they wanted,” said Lisa Tseng, chief executive officer of Hi HealthInnovations, a newly formed UnitedHealth unit handling the sales and marketing of the hearing devices.
UnitedHealth is introducing the hearing aid program as Medicare recipients choose plans for 2012 coverage in a selling season expected to be competitive after the first of the baby-boom generation turned 65. The philosophy behind the decision resembles the company’s recently introduced diabetes testing and prevention effort, Tseng said.
That program seeks to help diabetics control their disease and those who are likely to develop the chronic condition stave it off through counseling, exercise and diet. UnitedHealth provides the effort in partnership with employers and YMCAs.
UnitedHealth spokesman Tyler Mason declined to comment on how much the new business may add in revenue or earnings or how it may influence the selection of managed care plans for 2012. “We didn’t project out the numbers,” Mason said in a telephone interview. “We’re addressing a pressing need for a sizable population in the U.S. and we envision a value-add to our current line of business.”
UnitedHealth’s stock fell $3.20, or 6.9 percent, to $42.92 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading as the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 2.4 percent. The insurer’s shares have gained 19 percent this year. IntriCon rose $1.07, or 35 percent, to $4.14 in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading.
IntriCon, an Arden Hills, Minnesota-based make of diagnostic equipment, also manufactures a wireless glucose sensor for Medtronic Inc. The company has a limited number of shareholders with 5.5 million shares outstanding, said Scott Longval, the chief financial officer. The biggest shareholder is Mark Gorder, the chief executive officer who holds 10 percent, Longval said.
Hearing loss is the third-most common chronic condition among older Americans, data from the National Center for Health Statistics show. The number affected is projected to increase 42 percent to 51 million by 2030 because the U.S. population is aging and environmental noise is increasing, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.
UnitedHealth, with 4.8 million in its Part D Medicare drug plans in 2011 according to Bloomberg data, may lose a few hundred thousand poorer Medicare beneficiaries because its plans are more expensive than rivals’ programs for 2012, Dave Shove, an analyst at Bank of Montreal in New York, said in a telephone interview. The company will charge a monthly average of $39.70 in 2012, up from $34.82 this year, UnitedHealth said.
HI HealthInnovations also plans to offer the hearing aids for retail sale. The cost would be from $749 to $949, said Tseng, who is a physician. The UnitedHealth subsidiary will use the media and direct mail to advertise the products and is looking at marketing and distribution deals through large retail chains that sell drugs, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) in Bentonville, Arkansas, or Walgreen Co. (WAG) in Deerfield, Illinois.
“We are only in discussions so far,” Tseng said in a telephone interview. The company will also make its computer test available to doctors at no charge, she said.
Hi HealthInnovations will offer four models of digital devices that are custom programmed to an individual’s hearing needs, Tseng said.
Seventy-five percent of the people who need hearing aids don’t have them in the U.S. largely because of cost, Tseng said. Yet, the loss of hearing directly affects quality of life, often socially isolating those who can’t hear and leading to other health problems such as depression and dementia, she said.
“UnitedHealth sees this as a way of meeting a need and cutting health-care costs,” Tseng said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Pat Wechsler in New York at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at firstname.lastname@example.org


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New Apple TV 4K vs. Android TV: Google has Some Catching Up to Do
For one, the new Apple TV 4K does 4K (obviously) and HDR. That’s cool, so does the NVIDIA SHIELD TV. But where Apple just killed today’s announcement is in the content side of 4K and HDR, not the capabilities. Apple announced that all of the 4K titles they’ll sell through iTunes will be the same price as those in HD. Additionally, if you already own a bunch of HD titles and the 4K versions get released...


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What's going on?
The US economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter, according to data released on Friday, although a closer look into the numbers has left a few economists scratching their heads…
What does this mean?
America’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 3% in the third quarter (compared to economists expecting 2.5%) as consumers spent more and businesses ramped up the scale of their investments. The better-than-expected figure also signaled that the economic impact of the back-to-back hurricanes wasn’t as bad as some had predicted (this has also been evidenced in many US companies’ recently reported earnings).
That said, this is just a first estimate of how fast the economy grew from July to September, and it could be revised up or down as more data comes in.
Why should I care?
The bigger picture: Some say that the growth figures are overstated…
Around one third of the estimated economic growth was chalked up to companies’ inventory spending – a.k.a. spending on goods that they’ll eventually sell to consumers but haven’t sold yet, and are stored in inventory in the meantime. Inventory spending was especially high this last quarter, and some economists are arguing that Friday’s growth figures are overstating the strength of the US economy, as there’s no guarantee that American consumers will actually buy out these growing inventories.
For markets: The dollar reached its highest level in three months against major currencies following the news.
Investors typically like to invest in economies that are growing at a healthy pace, and thus need to buy those countries’ currencies to pay for investments there. However, the dollar is still worth less than it used to be a year or two ago relative to some currencies including the euro and the yen – which means that some imports from those regions are now more expensive for Americans than they used to be, while companies can export their goods abroad more cheaply.


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The trend: Brick-and-mortar’s stranglehold on grocery sales is loosening, as more shoppers gravitate toward the convenience that digital channels offer.
Convenience wins out: While cost concerns continue to inform shoppers’ grocery habits, convenience is also becoming a key purchase consideration.
The big picture: The shift in favor of digital grocery underscores what DoorDash CEO Tony Xu calls “the macro trend of convenience increasing in the direction of greater convenience”—or, in other words, the growing tendency for consumers to shop more often and spend more with companies that can deliver on speed and convenience.
First Published on Nov 6, 2023
One Liberty Plaza9th FloorNew York, NY 100061-800-405-0844


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Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro tablet has been launched for the Indian market. That is not all; the company will come up with more devices that will adore various price tags. That will make it feasible for all customers to select from various price ranges. Lenovo is certainly taking the Indian market seriously.
The Chinese tech mega player Lenovo is targeting the potential Indian market with the Yoga 3 Pro tablet. Lenovo is expanding their reach to various markets in the world. And the Indian market is one of the best bets for launching and selling products.
Lenovo is trying to expand their products in India. There will be more products in the coming weeks and the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro tablet is one of them.
As far as the tab let concerned, the tab costs Rs. 1, 14,490. It can boast to be easily the slimmest tabs – ultrabooks – available today. The tabs will first be available in only Chroma stores and select Lenovo stores in the country.
Lenovo has about 10% of market share in India (sales figures according to GfK research firm) and ranks at the fourth place. Mr. Rohit Midha, who is the Lenovo India Director, Tablet Business Unit, told Press Trust of India news agency, that there will be more market growth in the future. He also added that tablets will perform better.
Keeping that in mind, the first introduction will be the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro tablet. The tab will give Lenovo some edge in the competitive Indian market. However, Mr. Rohit Midha did not comment on what market share Lenovo has in mind.
The devices that Lenovo will launch will be the fresh devices across the price range and form factors. The devices have been showcased at the CES this year at Las Vegas. The same products will be now made available to the customers in India.
As far as the global share of Lenovo is concerned, it is the third largest tab vendor. Apple and Samsung are the only two companies ahead of Lenovo at the moment (according to December quarterly figures).


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Over the last few years we’ve seen the industry of the connected self morph and change. As is the natural process of evolution, only those who adapt survive, and there’s no better way to get a sign of the times than to look to the startups out there in 2018.
From re-thinking how we use VR to granting new health insights to help us be our best selves – and to saving lives. Heroes have fallen, promising startups have been absorbed by industry giants, and there has even been the odd unlikely return. But there’s no doubt that this industry is as exciting as it’s ever been.
There are many exciting startups with bold, innovative ideas in wearable tech, health, VR, AR and more. Below, we’ve rounded up 20 that we think you should be keeping an eye on in 2018. These folks aren’t messing around.
In no particular order, here are the startups to keep an eye on this year.
Motiv makes building smart rings look easy (it isn’t). Its first product, the $199 Motiv Ring, is a sleek ‘n’ discreet 24/7 sleep, activity and heart rate tracker that’s waterproof and has a three-day battery life. The first big update brings support for Android users, a ‘find my phone’ chime, social sharing in the Your Circle app and even a new Alexa skill so you can get stat updates and advice from the Echo.
Now available to buy on Amazon or try on in b8ta stores in the US, it’s not a perfect product but it’s also hard to overstate just how impressive a task this SF based smart jewellery startup – led by Tejash Unadkat – has carried out. Just look at the trail of malformed and misshapen smart rings in its wake for the proof.
As the wearable market grows and the big boys and girls of the tech world continue to invest billions of dollars into deep health, breaking into the world of wearables is going to become increasingly difficult for startups to manage.
zGlue wants to change that with its new zOrigin platform, which essentially packs everything you need to create a basic fitness tracker into a tiny system-on-a-chip. We’re talking Bluetooth LE radio, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, temperature sensor, vibration monitor, a battery and a Cortex processor.
If it succeeds, zGlue is also looking to make it easy for small companies to create custom chips. Any interested company would just have to request what it wanted in its wearable, like a barometric altimeter or a carbon monoxide sensor, and zGlue would work to make it possible. If it gets what it wants, it could even be the catalyst to an indie wearable revolution.


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Luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton debuted a collab with multimedia artist and designer Alex Israel that features an eight-piece collection of stunning textiles.
The exclusive collection, which includes various scarves, shawls, blankets, and even a bandeau, are all imbued with Israel’s signature pop aesthetic, so expect bold colors like purple, pink, and yellow all mixed together.
The capsule collection also spotlights some of Israel’s most well-known designs, like his cotton candy-colored Sky Backdrop and his puffy Wave painting.
Supermodel Karlie Kloss was the face for this limited-edition collection.
This isn’t the fashion house’s first time partnering with Israel; earlier this year, Louis Vuitton recruited Israel to design the packaging artwork for its perfume line Les Colognes Perfumes and also tapped him for a California-inspired take on its iconic Capucines bag.


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In a new developer blog post, Twitter says that an upcoming new version of its API will limit the number of users that use Twitter apps made by third parties, such as Tweetbot and Echofon.
Hands on with the Microsoft Band
The Galaxy Alpha: Samsung's answer to the iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy Alpha
All the latest on Windows 10
Windows 10 promo img
Office next expected in 2H 2015
After what seemed like a long wait for a public beta, Echofon for Windows is here! Echofon for Windows – The clean, Twitter app that syncs with your iPhone, now available for Windows. Multiple Accounts Use...
Naan Studios, the developers of the ever-popular Twitter client, has announced the launch of Photofon, a new client initially for the iPhone only. Stripping away the majority of a user's timeline, Photofon shows only the...


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You can play a demo of ilomilo—an upcoming Xbox Live Arcade puzzle game from Swedish developer Southend Interactive—but good luck trying to find it. You'll find a listing for the game, but no option to download a trial. And that's because Southend decided upon a unique marketing tactic for the game: secrecy.
The only way to access the game is by visiting a hidden site that provides a download code for the demo. The site was launched in conjunction with the Windows Phone 7 version of the game, which is already available, and is a joint effort between Southend and Microsoft Game Studios.
"This unusual secret release is a collaboration with Ross Perez, producer at Microsoft Game Studios," producer Malte Olsson told Ars. "We wanted to capture the feeling you have when you belong to an exclusive club. Like getting the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—We already knew that ilomilo for Windows Phone 7 was going to be released before the XBLA version so we saw a great opportunity to 'leak' a secret link together with that release. We anticipated that it would spread virally, but it has spread more than we could imagine."
And it appears to be a success, at least so far. While the game isn't yet available, news of the secret demo spread quickly, first through word of mouth, and then through coverage from Game Informer and a number of other popular gaming sites. With no traditional marketing, this small downloadable puzzler managed to get in the news. By making the demo a secret, it became more enticing to potential players.
As it turns out, the timing couldn't have been better. After sneaking ilomilo into the collective consciousness, Microsoft announced that the game is going to be part of its upcoming Games For the Holidays promotion starting in January, where it will be joined by Raskulls and A World of Keflings. In an additional bit of clever marketing, ilomilo will feature unlockable costumes featuring characters from the other two games.
According to Olsson, part of the reason this marketing technique was chosen was because of the type of player the studio was hoping to attract.
"We think the secret launch attracts people that like this type of puzzle game," he told Ars. "The secret launch is also a way of giving something back to our fans: early access to the game for all those who have followed the development for over a year. This is an early Christmas gift from us to our fans! You never know for sure how this kind of launch will be received, but it’s been a really positive experience."
Now that the secret is out, you won't have to wait long to play the full version of ilomilo: it hits XBLA on January 5.


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WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFINGS: ASIA
WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFINGS: ASIA; SOFTBANK STOCK TUMBLES
Published: March 7, 2000
The shares of the Softbank Corporation posted their third worst drop ever, on concern the company's purchase of a failed bank and the doubling of its share price in just two months means its stock is overvalued. Nikko Salomon Smith Barney Ltd. lowered its rating on Japan's largest investor in online businesses, cutting the rating on Softbank to 3H (neutral, high risk) from 2H after ''value-destructing actions'' that included the purchase of the failed Nippon Credit Bank Ltd. last month. Softbank and its partners will pay the government 1 billion yen ($9.3 million) for the right to take over Nippon Credit Bank and will inject an additional 100 billion yen into the new bank.


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Iphone 11 Review
The iPhone 11 measures 5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches (150.9 x 75.7 x 8.4mm), and has a 6.1-inch (154.9mm) LCD display with a resolution of 1,792 x 828, a typical contrast ratio of 1,400:1, and a maximum brightness of 625 nits. The phone comes in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage configurations at $699, $749, and $849, respectively.
The company also says that this chip is much more power efficient, leading to better battery life. And on the subject of batteries, regulatory filings have indicated that the iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery, up from 2,942mAh in the XR. Teardowns found that the iPhone 11 has 4GB of RAM—the same as is seen in the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, and up from 3GB in the XR.
On the wireless front, we’ve got a claim of gigabit LTE, plus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. The iPhone 11 also has the U1 chip we discussed in our iPhone 11 Pro review; this chip makes the phone location-aware in relation to other wireless devices nearby. Right now, the only feature that taps this is the ability to AirDrop files to another recent iPhone by physically orienting your iPhone 11 toward the target device. But there will likely be more uses for this chip in the future.


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Facebook, a social network founded by Mark Zuckerberg, wins the hearts of millions of users through their unique and innovative experiments. They have approximately 750 million users using in different countries and in different languages which proves that It has a universal appreciation. Facebook changes their profile design frequently to catch the attention of its customers. On F8 conference, They have announced the release of new profile design called Facebook Timeline which is “a story of your life”, says Mark Zuckerberg.
BENEFITS OF FACEBOOK TIMELINE
Now its easy to get invite for facebook timeline feature. To activate it on your profile Click here and follow the steps in the tutorial
What Zuckerberg says..?
“You can say your story of life on a single Facebook page”, says Zuckerberg. With this Timeline feature, Facebook allows the user to have all their needed information on the same spot which reduces…
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A catering firm has lodged plans to turn an Aberdeen ice cream parlour into a chicken restaurant.
Perth company NES Fast Foods has applied to the council for permission to open a branch of nationwide chain Pepe’s Piri Piri in the city centre.
It is looking to take over Casa Di Gelato shop at 194 King Street, which was opened by owner Stephen Bennett in 2009.
Pepe’s Piri Piri sells grilled chicken, burgers and side dishes at more than 90 locations across the UK, USA, Ireland and Pakistan.
If permission is granted, the Aberdeen branch will have seating for 48 people and open from 11am to 11pm seven days a week.
NES Fast Foods had asked for permission to turn the property into a restaurant in February, but later withdrew the application.
The re-submitted request includes a number of blueprint drawings of proposed changes to the space as well as a lengthy report into the impact its noise and odours could have on neighbours.


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Beacon Hill Brands Brings Innovative Cannabis Beverage Kalvara to Canadian Market
TORONTO – Beacon Hill Brands Inc., a privately owned Canadian company focused on developing, marketing and distributing functional, nutraceutical and medicinal beverages, is bringing the popular Kalvara brand of Infusion Technology-powered, conveniently-sized cannabis beverages to the Canadian adult-use recreational cannabis market.
Previously available in California, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, Oklahoma and now Ontario, Canada, Kalvara is powered by the unique Vessl® infusion technology, protecting sensitive ingredients until the moment of consumption, helping to ensure potency, freshness and full flavour. Oxygen and UV light affect the potency of cannabinoids and other sensitive ingredients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc.). Vessl® technology uses UV resistant plastic, removes oxygen from the container, and pressurizes it using the inert gas nitrogen. The proprietary closure instantly mixes the active ingredients with the water when opened, creating a unique experience for the user.
“The innovative Vessl® technology provides a tremendous opportunity for us to leverage our knowledge of the Canadian market and create a diverse range of high-quality, all-natural solutions. Kalvara is only the first step in a larger expansion of Vessl® technology in Canada,” said Stephen Dick, Beacon Hill Brands co-Founder and CEO.
“We have high expectations for Kalvara as a truly innovative cannabis beverage in Canada,” said Joel Toguri, CEO of Humble + Fume Inc. “Breakthrough brands are rare, but the Vessl® technology truly has the potential to shake up the game.”
“We are excited that Beacon Hill shares our vision with the use of the Vessl closure and the consumer benefits of an innovative all-natural cannabis product that preserves THC without the use of artificial preservatives or refrigeration,” said Walter Apodaca, Founder and CEO of Virdi. “We believe Canadian consumers will enjoy the fresh taste of the flavourful and innovative Kalvara beverages that allow a rapid onset delivery of a precise dose of water-soluble THC to the bloodstream, avoiding problems associated with other edibles.”
The unique citrus-flavoured, rapid onset, cannabis-infused beverage is now available for purchase in Ontario through retail channels and the Ontario Cannabis Store. Sales representation is provided by Humble + Fume Inc. Beacon Hill Brands retains the exclusive distribution rights of Vessl® technology in Canada, with HydRx Farms Ltd. serving as the Licensed Producer.
(This information is primarily sourced from Beacon Hill Brands Inc.. Highly Capitalized has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Read our Disclaimer here).
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- Analysts from Credit Suisse value Coles at between $17-18 billion.
- Citi analysts ascribed a value of $18.042 billion, and said the sale was a good move for Wesfarmers.
- Details about the Coles’ separation and capital structure have yet to be announced.
Wesfarmers’ decision to spin off Coles will no doubt give rise to a range of forecasts about how Coles will be valued as a separate listed entity.
“Further detail, including Coles’ proposed capital structure, dividend policy, separation, and governance arrangements will be announced in due course,” Wesfarmers said in its announcement this morning.
Responding to the announcement, analysts at Credit Suisse (CS) estimated Coles’ sale value at between $17-18 billion in a sale, assuming $1.5 billion of debt.
“On first impressions, the proposal seems unambiguously positive for Wesfarmers and a strong signal of management’s intent to move Wesfarmers to a higher growth group of businesses,” Credit Suisse said.
In addition, a report by CS earlier this week gives an indicative guide as to what Coles is currently worth within the company.
The Credit Suisse report valued Coles at $20.998 billion — comprising about 38% of the conglomerate’s total value of $54.84 billion, excluding net debt and other adjustments:
CS applied of a value of $19.404 billion to Coles’ food & liquor operations, comprised of Coles supermarkets and liquor outlets including First Choice Liquor and Vintage Cellars.
The company’s network of Coles Express convenience stores and financial services operations were valued at a further $1.584 billion.
In a separate response this morning Citi analysts gave Coles an enterprise value of $18.042 billion in the event of a sale.
Citi called the announcement a “positive development” for Coles.
“De-merging the capital intensive Coles business creates an opportunity for Wesfarmers to accelerate acquisitions — likely to be a domestic industrial business, in our view,” Citi said.
As part of its appraisal earlier this week, Credit Suisse said the market had been “too pessimistic” on Coles.
Sentiment towards Coles has soured in recent reporting periods, as sales growth has failed to keep up with its main competitor, Woolworths, after years of positive momentum.
“It appeared that there was inertia in adapting to Woolworths’ improvement and the pressure that was applied as a result of slowing sales growth, with some short term decisions on costs resulting from that pressure,” CS said.
“Third party surveys show that customer satisfaction associated with Coles fell across nearly all metrics in 2017, indicative of some short term decisions.”
But on a comparative basis, CS said structural differences between the two companies were minimal.
“Our price surveys show no material difference in price levels or promotional behavior between Coles and Woolworths.”
“Absolute scale favors Woolworths, suggesting that it should maintain a higher profit margin due to fixed cost leverage. Systems are similar. Supply chains are similar.”
Credit Suisse said the recent switch in sales momentum between Coles and Woolworths was more of an inevitable reversion, rather than signs of a sustained downtrend.
“We think the future is still in Wesfarmers and Coles’ hands and there is a realistic potential to stabilise performance without a more severe profit reset and under-performance.”


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Edesix has announced that it has teamed up with ASDA to enhance in-store security. After a successful trial in 2016, there are now over 900 Edesix VideoBadges being utilised in over 250 sites nationwide, with more growth expected soon.
Edesix collaborated with CBES, to design and install a tailored wearable CCTV deployment suited to ASDA’s needs. Edesix and CBES worked closely at ASDA’s national security centre and across four store deployments at so the cameras could be rolled out in the remaining stores with minimum impact on store efficiency. This system requires minimum training has enabled staff to integrate the cameras into their daily working processes with reportedly minimal fuss.
As a result of this partnering strategy, ASDA has reportedly been able to improve colleague security, diffuse aggressive and volatile situation and reduce valued investigation time, thus reducing costs. Since the deployment, ASDA has proven the viability of these cameras by securing numerous convictions relating to theft and violence against staff.
“ASDA, along with CBES, identified the need to re-think its key security policy around challenging aggressive behaviour towards staff. In searching for a technology partner, CBES chose Edesix as their BWC provider, to deploy initially to the most affected stores, eventually rolling out to over 250 sites across the UK,” said Richie McBride, Managing Director of Edesix. “The aim was to improve the safety of colleagues in public facing roles and shoppers within the stores, whilst producing compelling evidence when needed. The Body Worn Cameras act as a confrontation preventer, as it is proven that members of the public are far less aggressive to staff members if they know they are being filmed.”
© 2018, Best Brothers Group. All rights reserved.


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Exports from China jumped 7.9 percent year-on-year to USD 238.27 billion in December 2019, the first increase in five months, revised data showed. This marked the steepest export growth since March, amid strengthening global demand and a progress in trade talks with the US. There were gains in exports of both refined products and coal, while falls were seen in sales of unwrought aluminium and products, coke & semi-coke, steel products, rare earths, and rice. Considering 2019 full year, exports rose 0.5 percent, compared to 10 percent in 2018, with sales to the US falling sharply.
Exports in China averaged 652.96 USD HML from 1981 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 2315.23 USD HML in December of 2017 and a record low of 12.50 USD HML in February of 1983. This page provides - China Exports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. source: General Administration of Customs
Exports in China is expected to be 2253.00 USD HML by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Exports in China to stand at 2200.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the China Exports is projected to trend around 2210.00 USD HML in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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Each and every thirty day period, a new study would seem to arrive out demonstrating just how woefully unaware most Americans are when it arrives to each personalized finance and the inventory market place — most a short while ago, 8 out of 10 adult respondents drew a blank when asked to clarify what a bond is while seven in 10 faltered with the definition of a hedge fund inspite of confidently declaring that they understood it in superior numbers.
Amid this sort of a popular lack of economic and investing literacy, the world-wide-web has long been a key position for a lot of to educate them selves — according to the benefits of Investopedia’s once-a-year Fiscal Literacy study, Generation Z use significantly use YouTube (45%) and TikTok (30%) to find out about investing whilst millennials go for online searches (47%) and YouTube (40%).
In an energy to both teach the general public and carve out its spot in an rising system, money expert services huge Fidelity Investments (FBNDX) – Get Fidelity Expense Quality Bond Report is launching a system for studying about personalized finance in the metaverse. Frequently called the up coming iteration of the web, the metaverse is a blend of online video and augmented and virtual truth in which people go as a result of avatars.
Crafted in the Decentraland system, Fidelity Stack will have a digital lobby, dance floor and rooftop sky backyard garden for customers to shift via virtually.
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From exchange-traded funds to widespread investing misconceptions, every just one will aspect primers on the basics of personal finance. As they response concerns (it’s going to commence with anything as fundamental as “what is a inventory?” and slowly improve in complexity) properly, customers accurate “orbs” that will tutorial them to the exit.
“As consumers traverse The Fidelity Stack and make their way up each individual floor of the constructing, they will encounter a sequence of educational ordeals that provide info on common monetary concepts, together with shares, mutual funds and ETFs,” Kathryn Condon, Fidelity’s head of internet marketing and emerging platforms, told TheStreet in an e-mail. “End users also experience information on Fidelity Metaverse ETF (FMET) and the industries that make up the investment decision universe for the fund.”
Fidelity is considerably from the only significant firm to consider to get an early in on the metaverse. Anyone from Cafe Makes International (QSR) – Get Restaurant Models Intercontinental Inc Report-owned Burger King to Nike (NKE) – Get NIKE, Inc. Class B Report have all attempted to launch platforms exactly where they give video games and interactive experiences with their identify stamped on them.
As the metaverse is still constrained in scope and far also abstract as a concept for most people, it is generally tiny other than a variety of marketing with a little bit of academic awareness (or, in the case of fast-foodstuff companies, some discounts or prizes) thrown in to attract users in.
But as additional persons signal up and get avatars (a course of action that could velocity up considerably in the coming years or fizzle out l
ike Google Glass once did circa 2013), a corporation that gains early entry to this platform will be in a position to accessibility an rising demographic ahead of rivals.
“It can be very clear that buyers – particularly the future generation – have an urge for food for immersive experiences, and the metaverse has an incredible sum of probable,” Condon explained. “I feel we will be seeing a lot more men and women and businesses check out it out in the future as we discover what probable it may maintain for digital engagement.”


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6 ways you can avoid getting hacked online
As we celebrate Halloween, you of course need to watch out for ghosts, goblins and witches — but New Jersey officials are also warning anyone who uses the internet to beware of scammers, schemers and hackers.
According to Attorney General Chris Porrino, there were 676 data breaches reported to New Jersey State Police officials during 2016, and this number doesn’t just refer to individuals who had their accounts hacked at home.
“This is 676 entities that possess or control personal information of others,” he said.
New Jersey law requires all businesses and public entities that compile or maintain computerized personal records of individuals to report all unauthorized security breaches.
Porrino pointed out most of us now use the internet routinely — but “the truth is you need to continue to be suspicious and careful.”
He said we are seeing a large number of phishing attacks involving crooks who attempt “to effectively steal your identity by gathering information about your birthday, your Social Security number and the like.”
“What we’re telling citizens of New Jersey now is be suspicious, to be careful. If you get an email from someone who you don’t recognize, do not click on the link," he said.
Porrino said if a correspondence purports to be from a particular vendor or company, “go to the website directly. Do not click on that link if you don’t recognize who it’s coming from.”
He said another way to protect yourself from hackers is avoiding free wifi, especially “when you’re conducting financial transactions, or accessing health or personal information.”
Porrino said it’s also important to avoid contest scams, where you get a pop up on your screen informing you that you’ve won a contest, and you're told all you have to do to collect some wonderful prize is to provide some information about yourself .
“When it looks like it’s too good to be true, it’s probably not true," he said.
"The individuals who are looking to steal your identity are not just targeting the rich and famous. They’re targeting people who they think they’re going to be successful in stealing their identity," he said.
New Jersey citizens can get alerts, advisories and training information, and can report data breaches and other types of cyber incidents directly to the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell at cyber.nj.gov.
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs is recommending everyone follow a few simple tips to stay safe in cyberspace:
• Avoid clicking on e-mail links or attachments from unknown individuals, financial institutions, computer services or government agencies. To check out the message, go to the sender's legitimate public website, and use the contact information provided.
• Adjust device privacy settings to control sharing of data between applications, software and address books.
• Choose a strong password containing letters, numbers and symbols. If a website offers two-factor authentication security, use it.
• To protect your device from unauthorized access and malware software, install security software, often available from your Internet provider, and ensure that firewall and anti-virus protections are updated continually.
• Before disposing of any electronic device, wipe the hard drive using specialized software that will overwrite your information; or donate the device to a certified recycling facility that follows government standards for the destruction of data.
• Parents can report concerns about websites directed to children to the Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Parents should take advantage of parental control software offered by their internet service provider, adjust browser settings to limit children's access, and review history logs to monitor usage.
You can contact reporter David Matthau at David.Matthau@townsquaremedia.com
More from New Jersey 101.5:


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Businesses need to focus on only a few attack methods to cover most cyber attacks, Verizon's 2014 Data Breach Investigations Report has revealed.
The firm’s researchers found that while no organisation is immune from attack, 92% of cyber attacks in the past 10 years can be linked to just nine basic attack patterns.
Of these, most companies have to face only between two and four, according to Dave Ostertag, global investigations manager at Verizon.
“By identifying the threats that enable most attacks for each sector, this report enables firms to have a more focused and effective approach to fighting cyber threats,” he told Computer Weekly.
“This enables companies to draw up a strategy, prioritise security investments, see what will give the best returns, identify trends and predict where things are going to identify potential targets,” said Ostertag.
Top threat patterns identified by the report
- Malware aimed at gaining control of systems
- Insider/privilege misuse
- Physical theft or loss
- Web app attacks
- Denial of service attacks
- Cyber espionage
- Point-of-sale intrusions
- Payment card skimmers
- Miscellaneous errors such as sending an email to the wrong person
A clear trend that has emerged in the past year, he said, is that attackers are increasingly targeting data about business deals, such as mergers and acquisitions, property deals, purchase bids and contracts.
Researchers found that, on average, just three threat patterns cover 72% of the security incidents in any industry.
“The report enables each industry to drill down into the threats specific to that industry and what is effective to detect and prevent those attacks,” said Ostertag.
For example, point of sale intrusions, denial of service attacks and web application attacks are responsible for 76% of cyber security incidents in the retail industry.
Similarly, by investing in defences around web application attacks, payment card duplication or skimming and denial of service attacks, financial services firms could cover 75% of cyber security incidents.
Big data analytics can reduce security risk
While most organisations are failing to keep up with cyber crime, the latest breach report shows that by applying big data analytics to security risk management, they can turn the tide, according to Verizon.
Specifically, this approach can help organisations reduce the time it takes to identify that a breach has taken place, thereby reducing the time attackers are able to exfiltrate data undetected.
The report shows that cyber espionage continues to increase, with more than 500 incidents representing a more than threefold increase compared with the 2013 report.
Although the increase is partly due to a bigger data set, Ostertag said reports of cyber espionage have increased steadily since 2007, with these attacks tending to be the most complex and diverse.
92% of cyber attacks in the past 10 years can be linked to just nine basic attack patterns
As in 2013, China continues to lead as the site of the most cyber espionage activity; but other regions of the world are represented, including Eastern Europe with more than 20%.
For the first time, the report examines distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that are aimed at making networks and systems inaccessible so that, for example, a website is rendered useless.
They are common to the financial services, retail, professional, information and public sector industries. The report points out that DDoS attacks have grown stronger year-over-year for the past three years.
According to the report, the use of stolen and/or misused user names and passwords continues to be the top way for attackers to gain access to information.
Two out of three breaches exploit weak or stolen passwords, making a case for strong two-factor authentication.
The report notes that the number of large retail point-of-sale (POS) attacks continue to trend downward, exhibiting the same trend since 2011.
Industries commonly hit by POS intrusions are restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and other brick-and-mortar retailers, where intruders attempt to capture payment card data.
While POS breaches have been in the headlines lately, it is not indicative of the actual picture of cyber crime.
Ostertag ascribes this decrease to wider use of encryption and the arrest and conviction of several key members of the fairly limited community responsible for the large Data breaches.
More on Verizon data breach reports
- In 2014 DBIR preview, Verizon says data breach response gap widening
- Security data analysis behind the times, Verizon DBIR researchers say
- Verizon data breach report 2013: Data shows need for risk awareness
- Infosec 2013: Every business a target of cyber attack, Verizon breach report shows
- What healthcare CIOs need to know from Verizon data breach report
- Verizon data breach report highlights continuing POS vulnerabilities
- 2011 the year of the hacktivist, Verizon data breach report reveals
While external attacks still outweigh insider attacks, insider attacks are up, especially with regard to stolen intellectual property.
The report points out that 85% of insider and privilege-abuse attacks used the corporate LAN, and 22% took advantage of physical access.
Building a bigger picture of cyber security
Now in its seventh year of publication, the 2014 data breach report analyses more than 1,300 confirmed data breaches as well as more than 63,000 reported security incidents.
For the first time, the report includes security incidents that did not result in breaches to gain a better understanding of the cyber security landscape.
Over the entire 10-year range of this study, the tally of data breaches now exceeds 3,800. Verizon is among 50 organisations from around the world that contributed data and analysis to the latest report.
“This year’s report offers unparalleled perspective into the world of cyber crime, based on big data analysis,” said Eddie Schwartz, vice-president of global cyber security at Verizon Enterprise Solutions.
“The 2014 DBIR will advance how we approach cyber threats as an industry and through our intelligence-gathering enable enterprise organisations to more strategically determine their best defence,” he said.