A Russian man who had been drifting for two months in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with the bodies of his relatives was rescued. His boat was discovered by the crew of the fishing vessel "Angel". When the fishermen found the boat, the man was conscious and was even able to shout a few words. The first phrase spoken by the survivor was: "Not enough strength." In response, the crew of the vessel that found the man, a Sakhalin resident, said that they had taken this information into account and promised to save him quickly.

In the Astrakhan region of Russia, fishermen showed what can be found inside a huge pike. The men said that they thus wanted to dispel the myth about jewelry, watches and other valuable items that other fishermen allegedly find in the pike that they catch. The video appeared on pages of The Astrakhan Hunting and Fishing community. "Many have seen fake videos online in which they find watches, chains, lures, jewelry inside the pike. Here, there is indeed a fish in the belly, we even know what kind, because its tail is sticking out of the throat," the fisherman said.

Brazilian journalist and geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar admired the streets of Moscow and praised the city for its cleanliness. Escobar shared his impressions of the Russian capital on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Moskovskiye Novosti (Moscow News) Telegram channel said. Escobar noted that he very much enjoyed walking along the streets of Moscow, especially at night. "I never take a taxi in the center, I always walk there. And it's a beautiful city: everything is clean, everything works. Fantastic. This is something that people in the West have no idea about,” the journalist said.

Cosmonaut candidate Andrei Babkin, who was dismissed from his flight position in September due to a runny nose, wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his address to the head of state, Babkin wrote that he would like independent experts to assess his health condition. In response, the Roscosmos Cosmonaut Training Center (CTC) said that an extended consultation was held on July 12. Members of the ENT section of the Main Medical Commission, as well as specialists who had previously treated the cosmonaut, were present at the meeting. As a result, no grounds were found for revising the previous medical conclusion in relation to the cosmonaut candidate.

A resident of Syktyvkar is going to serve in the zone of the special military operation after stealing a bottle of vodka. The man stole it from a grocery store, became a defendant in a criminal case and agreed to sign a contract for military service. The 39-year-old man, named only as Vitaly, had a hangover in the morning of October 27. He went to the nearest grocery store to get a "remedy." He took a small bottle of vodka from a shelf and went home without paying for it. Store employees noticed the missing bottle, looked through CCTV footage and called the police that found the man quickly.

War correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny, who was injured in an attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region, was hospitalised in serious condition to a regional clinical hospital. In the morning of August 8, Poddubny was taken to the Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine in Moscow, the Health Department said. After the attack, the journalist was immediately placed in the anti-shock department, given intensive therapy and then transferred to intensive care. Specialists from leading federal clinics make every effort to save the man's life.

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, which is undergoing repairs and extensive modernization at Sevmash shipyard, will begin trials in the upcoming autumn of 2024, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseyev told TASS. "The Admiral Nakhimov is to go to sea for factory sea trials in the autumn of 2024. She is to be transferred to the Navy in 2025," he said during the Army-2024 Forum. Admiral Nakhimov of Project 1144.2M has been under repair since 1999, although the works started 2013. During the modernization, the cruiser will receive a universal shipborne firing system 3S14 to carry Kalibr, Onyx, or Zircon cruise missiles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited School No. 1 in Beslan, where a terrorist attack took place шт 2004 on September 1-3. The school is now used as a memorial complex. The school gymnasium, where militants held more than 1,200 people hostage, has been preserved in its original state, with photographs of the victims hanging on its walls. Visitors regularly bring toys, flowers, and bottles of water. A memorial vigil is held at school every year during the first three days of September.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the site of the Special Technology Center (STC) for the production of electronic warfare (EW) systems and drones, the Kremlin said on its Telegram channel. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov accompanied Putin to the site. The STC produces unique Orlan drones, as well as small spacecraft such as CubeSat, the Kremlin press service said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed making a number of changes to conditions for the use of nuclear weapons, the Kremlin said. In particular, "Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence" expands the category of states and military alliances against which acts of nuclear deterrence will be carried out. "In the updated version of the document, aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, is proposed to be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation," Putin said at a meeting of the Permanent Conference of the Security Council on Nuclear Deterrence.

On Monday, September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation with a speech to commemorate the Day of Reunification of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson Regions with Russia. When congratulating citizens of Russia on this "truly fateful event," he said that Russia had not abandoned "its brothers and sisters" in the Donbass region. The Russian Federation is the historical homeland of the Donbass, he said. Russia tried to achieve a peaceful resolution to the gravest conflict, but "the negotiations ended up with lies, forgery and deception on the part of Western elites that turned Ukraine into their colony, a military base aimed at Russia," the Russian leader added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrates his 72nd birthday on October 7. The politician is expected to spend the day working. The head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov was one of the first to congratulate the Russian leader. He wished him good health, prosperity, happiness, long life, good luck and success in his difficult work. As the press secretary of the Russian leader Dmitry Peskov said, Putin will spend his birthday working.

Fire Marshal Discussion Series

New data has revealed that there’s a 24% rise in Brits dealing with broken laptops, tablets and phones over the Easter break each year, making it the riskiest holiday for devices.

By George Freeman, freelance writer.

In our fast-paced world, electronic devices have become integral to our daily lives. From smartphones and tablets to laptops and smartwatches, these gadgets keep us connected, entertained, and productive. However, the wear and tear of regular use can take a toll on our beloved devices.

The trend of purchasing refurbished IT equipment is on the rise among MSPs. A significant majority of 84% have admitted to buying refurbished technology in the past, while about 30% are currently making such purchases.

The June Issue features a Special Technology Report looking in depth at the latest developments in the world of Automatic Identification and Data Capture/Mobile Computing solutions.

Also included is a ‘Cover Story’: Gartner forecasts spending on cloud security to grow 24% in 2024, making it the highest growth of all segments in the global security and risk management market.

Flashpoint has released its midyear Cyber Threat Intelligence Index, with new data and trends surrounding both persistent and emerging cyber threats observed from 1 January to 30 June, 2024. The report includes research and data tied to vulnerabilities, information-stealing malware, ransomware and insider threats.

Bitsight, the cyber risk management solutions provider, has introduced new asset mapping capabilities to help companies better manage vulnerabilities across their extended attack surface.

Quorum Cyber - with offices in Edinburgh, UK, and Tampa, Florida – has acquired Difenda, a Canadian-based, full-stack Microsoft Security Managed Services company. The announcement underscores Quorum Cyber's global momentum and strengthens its position as a leader of Microsoft Security services. 

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the UK are facing significant challenges in today’s digital landscape, with misinformation, fake reviews and inadequate search and engagement tools putting them at a serious disadvantage compared to larger competitors.

Cybersecurity company, Egress, a KnowBe4 company, has launched its latest Phishing Threat Trends Report (October 2024), which examines the most recent phishing statistics and threat intelligence insights.

Red Canary, the managed detection and response (MDR) provider, has released a new report, Security Operations Trends Report, providing insight into critical challenges facing modern cybersecurity teams. Partnering with independent research company Coleman Parkes, Red Canary surveyed 700 security leaders from the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia and Nordics. 

44% of CISOs surveyed reported they were unable to detect a data breach over the past 12 months using existing security tools, according to Gigamon. 70% of CISOs stated their existing security tools are not as effective as they could be when detecting breaches due to limited visibility.

By Arun Rasika Karunakaran, Retail Product Manager & Consultant,Tata Consultancy Services.

Over the last decade, the number of online sales has skyrocketed. The most recent statistics show that 19.4% of normal retail sales around the world were made online. That has led to some retailers thinking that it might be time to shift most of their focus to e-retail and their online storefronts.

New data from Demica, the fintech, reveals that the paper packaging sector in key markets across Europe and North America is showing signs of stabilisation.

Forter, the Trust Platform for digital commerce, has released findings from its 2024 Consumer Trust Premium Report, which explores the evolving relationship between consumer shopping habits and brand trust, based on 2,000 survey respondents in the US and UK.

It has recently emerged that consumer habits amongst Gen Z are changing, with many now turning to social media for retail therapy. Weighing in on this growing phenomenon of social media shopping, Nick Drewe, founder of the online discount platform Wethrift, offers his insights:

While discounts and sales events have long been associated with holiday shopping, new data from e-commerce provider Visualsoft reveals that consumers are motivated by more than just deep discounts when it comes to their seasonal and gifting purchases.

Ilgar Hajiyev, a developer of Accord Smart residential complex, accused of numerous crimes, including real estate scam, is facing another criminal case in Russia. Defrauded homebuyers are collecting signatures for a petition in their defense. These people, who paid their money for apartments in the Moscow region, Odintsovo сity district, but never received keys to their new homes, demand Hajiyev should be delivered to Russia to stand trial for fraud. Only 4 apartment buildings out of 12 that should have been commissioned in 2020 are built - with many violations. "Numerous violations were committed during the construction: façades are falling off, walls and decoration of public areas are crumbling, cardboard doors are already broken," the petition reads. The billion worth scam Hajiyev fled overseas with investors' money in January 2019. It was not only clients, but also business partners, whom Hajiyev scammed, including creditors of SDI Group. Apart from Accord Smart housing complex, subsidiaries of SDI Group were also developers of the Pirogovskaya Riviera residential complex in Mytishchi, the Moscow Region. The complex is being finished by another developer. Hajiyev started building the Pirogovskaya Riviera complex together with businessman Isai Zakharyaev, who later left the project, but never received money for his share. The head of SDI Group owes more than one billion rubles to the former partner. Another one billion Hajiyev siphoned off from the project developer Comfort Invest.

How do famous film directors and athletes become baits for pyramid schemes? How are such prominent figures as Anatoly Karpov, Nikita Mikhalkov and other renowned personalities in Russia involved with the scammers from Anchor-Invest? Scarcely ever it is possible to catch and put into jail big-time operators of financial pyramids how it happened with Mavrodi, the famous "financier of Russia". Apart from Mavrodi, a variety of pyramids existed and continue to operate in Russia that have the same backbone; to take your money.

Rising global commodity prices and falling economic growth around the world are the result of the decision by Biden and his European "acolytes" to declare economic war on Russia. The U. S. and the European Union announced tougher sanctions against Russia because of the "Bucha incident" without an international investigation. Nevertheless, as Pravda previously wrote, the "atrocities in Bucha" were most likely staged by the Zelensky regime. The economic war of Western civilization against Russia has in any case been declared and its goal is clear: the complete destruction of Russia, the seizure of its territories and natural resources. Most likely, the total energy blockade of Russia will only intensify, throwing the world financial markets into chaos.

The Russian special operation in Ukraine served as a catalyst for the confrontation formed between Moscow and the collective West, as a result of which the United States and its politico-military partners immediately activated "suspended" economic sanctions. In addition, half of Russia's foreign exchange reserves were frozen, provoking an unprecedented escalation of confrontation in the financial sphere. Price increases and shortages of certain commodity items are not only observed in Russia. The global nature of international relations has caused destructive influence of sanctions on the economies of the initiating countries as well. In the U.S. they decided to call inflation "Putin's price hike". In fact, inflation in Western countries began after the declaration of economic war by European leaders and their sovereign, U.S. President Biden.

By Gareth Hunt, freelance writer.

One of the world's most important currencies is information. That information could be about anybody and anything and may be used in a million different ways. With this much personal information people put on the internet, it becomes effortless for cyber criminals to get that information and perpetrate identity thefts.

By Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager at Sparck Technologies.

Companies can be schizophrenic about packaging and its costs. On the one hand, product packaging is closely scrutinised – a battleground between buyers seeking to drive costs down and marketers looking for ever greater impact and ‘shelf appeal’.

Online retailers saw a significant increase in online Halloween sales, bolstered by the event (31 Oct) falling during school half-term as well as coinciding with Diwali, according to data from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution.

By Georgia Leybourne, Chief Marketing Officer, Linnworks.

Success in ecommerce and retail today hinges on consumer convenience. It is fast becoming a powerful tool in the e-commerce industry, transforming the way businesses engage with their customers and increasing sales through social commerce.

By Umar Butt, CEO of UK and Europe at Aramex.

The pre-loved market is taking the fashion industry by storm. Reminiscent of the continued popularity of charity shops, thrift stores or vintage boutiques, the appetite for second hand clothes has been a constant for centuries, however in recent years a paradigm shift has moved this growing market into the mainstream.

Economist Vladislav Inozemtsev writes about the change in the leadership of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers “At the end of last week ... at a meeting of the Council of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of Russia, its long-term president, Yuri Pilipenko, who has held this post since 2015, was not re-elected for another term. (It is noteworthy that on the morning of December 15, he, being a president of the Chamber, sent a letter to the head of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, James MacGuill, expressing concern about the situation with the protection of the legal rights of Russians in European countries).” Inozemtsev notes that Pilipenko is a “highly experienced lawyer” who, as it would seem, “talentedly led a professional organization of lawyers, skillfully resolving any sensitive issues in the interaction between the legal community and the authorities, and at the same time demonstrating a willingness to independently make important decisions for the legal workers without waiting for the initiatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Kremlin.”

Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International considers selling the Russian division or withdrawing it from the structure of the group. Raiffeisen's "daughter" will continue running "certain banking activities" in Russia to maintain license. At the moment, the bank can not get rid of all of its business in Russia, but is striving for this to happen, RBI CEO Johann Strobl said. The RBI Group in Russia is represented by Raiffeisenbank, as well as leasing, insurance and management companies. The company's subdivisions employ over 9,000 people.

The Russian authorities lifted temporary state management from the assets of French food giant Danone in Russia. The decision was made for reasons of expediency, Kremlin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. On March 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to cancel the nationalisation of Danone's business and its transfer to Russia's Federal Property Management Agency. According to Peskov, all factors and conditions need to be weighed accordingly in every situation like this. Therefore, it does not mean that the Russian leadership will make similar decisions in relation to other foreign companies.

The Italian Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Rome Alexei Paramonov after President Vladimir Putin transferred the Russian subsidiary of Italian equipment manufacturer Ariston to Gazprom. The decision was made in accordance with last year's decree, according to which the assets of foreign companies in Russia can be transferred to temporary administration. Italy called the transfer unexpected and demanded clarification from the Russian diplomat. On April 26, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the transfer of Russian subsidiaries of Ariston and BSH Hausgerate (structures of Ariston Thermo Rus and BSH Household Appliances) to temporary administration of JSC Gazprom Household Systems. One hundred percent of shares in the authorised capital of both companies were transferred to  Gazprom temporarily.

Nornickel's plans to move copper plant production to China have raised questions both in the government and among experts. In April, Nornickel (Norilsk Nickel) announced plans to "create a joint venture with international partners and transfer part of the copper plant's capacities from Norilsk to China." The copper plant will continue to operate "modern copper concentrate preparation facilities and industrial 3D printers." "We are transferring our environmental problems, settlement problems, problems of market access and customization of our goods for the consumer market to where they can be solved most effectively — to China," Vladimir Potanin, co-owner of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel said in an interview with Interfax.

Offering insights into the most effective, tried and tested approaches to managing retail risk, supplier of loss prevention solutions and retail technology, Checkpoint Systems UK, has revealed the conference agenda for its upcoming appearance as title sponsor at Retail Risk London on 22 July 2021.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) provides new and profitable opportunities for increasing organisational, financial and operational performance. For instance, the retail and logistics industries can benefit from the superior RFID technology. DENSO explains why.

The premium quality barcode and RFID solutions provider inotec is currently producing 40 million RFID identification cards for a market-leading international discount supermarket chain. The exceptionally large RFID card order was placed after the discount supermarket’s strategic decision to install new crate track and trace systems. 

By Alastair Bright, freelance writer.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) are two wireless communication technologies that enable data exchange through radio waves. While NFC is primarily used in contactless payments, RFID is widely utilized for asset and location tracking. Both technologies, however, also have versatile applications beyond their primary uses.

According to Forbes, the global smart retail market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.1% by 2030. DENSO accompanies retailers into the future with RFID.

2022 was the second highest year of activity in the global self-checkout market, according to a brand-new report from RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights. Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023 shows that with an ever-wider range of retailers embracing the technology, competition in the market remains fierce.

By Brad Hyett, CEO at phos.

SoftPoS, also known as Software Point of Sale, is a software-based solution enabling merchants to convert their NFC-enabled smartphones or tablets into functional payment terminals.