In recent times, there has been a greater focus on hygiene in the workplace, likely spurred on by the COVID pandemic. While some germs are completely harmless, others can cause unpleasant illnesses. The chances of a germ surviving largely depends on the type of species, the surface where it is present, and other factors such as ambient temperature or solar radiation.

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.

Getac has introduced the AI-ready ZX80, a brand new 8-inch fully rugged tablet, powered by the versatile Android operating system.

By Josh Harvey, freelance writer.

In the last 15 years or so, since the first iPhone debuted all the way back in 2007, it’s not hyperbolic to suggest that smartphones have changed the very fabric of our society. The average teenager probably spends more time on their phone than off it and we all rely on them for business and pleasure, par-ticularly during those long and stressful commutes.

Mobile Computing/AIDC (Data capture) Technology Report

Retail Technology Review spoke with leading representatives from the analyst and vendor communities about many of the current key talking points and areas of innovation taking place within the world automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)/mobile computing solutions.

By Philipp Pfister, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Transporeon (a Trimble company)

There’s no denying that the transport sector is a prominent cog across most global industries. As the saying goes, “There is no production without procurement logistics, and no trade without delivery traffic.”

Think Tank, the UK bespoke packaging design agency, is launching new SMART packaging formats designed to help brands elevate their packaging design and boost their commercial reach.

While retailers understand the need to move towards increased first-party data collection and personalised shopper engagement, many remain concerned about building privacy-centric experiences that meet consumers’ growing demands for the responsible use of their data, the latest research from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution, warns.

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.

Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH (Toshiba) has introduced its next-generation S300 Pro Surveillance Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) targeting the latest requirements in the surveillance storage market.

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. 

Endor Labs, the open source software security solutions provider, has released The 2024 Dependency Management Report, which consolidates extensive original and third-party research into the current state of security in the software dependency lifecycle that represents the foundation for all application development.

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.

Thoughtworks, the global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation, has started a strategic partnership with UK-based cybersecurity startup Advanced Cyber Defence Systems (ACDS) by providing Thoughtworks DAMO AI-powered application managed services.

Some industries are more vulnerable to cyber threats hence facing a high risk of experiencing data breaches or other types of cyber attacks in the future.

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. 

Infinigate Group, the technology platform and trusted advisor in cybersecurity, cloud and network infrastructure, has expanded its partnership with CYREBRO, an AI-native Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution, bringing state-level SOC services to MSPs and MSSPs across Europe, through the Infinigate Cloud marketplace.

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.

NCC Group have just released a free CyberSecurity Threat Intelligence Report for the Retail sector as it enters its busiest spell, the "GoldenQuarter".It will help retailers manage an increasing surge in demand across their IT operations and supply chains.

TrueCommerce, provider of supply chain and trading partner connectivity, integration and omnichannel solutions, has been selected by Costa Coffee, The European coffee chain, to spearhead their global EDI expansion.

As Dyslexia Awareness Week (07-13 October 2024) arrives this week, digital transformation specialists Sherwen Studios are advocating for retailers to reconsider how accessible their website is for users affected by dyslexia.

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.

At GroceryShop, Bazaarvoice, the platform for full-funnel authentic user-generated content (UGC) and social commerce solutions, announced Bazaarvoice Vibe – a comprehensive solution designed to help marketers source, amplify and optimise user- and creator-generated content across all channels, all from one place. Global general availability begins 1 November.

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.

Descartes Systems Group has released findings from its 2024 Home Delivery Sustainability Report: The Environmentally Conscious Consumer Under Pressure survey, which examined online consumer sentiment of retailers’ sustainability practices around their delivery operations.

A silent crisis of ‘serial returns’ is eroding retail profit margins as uncovered in the Annual Returns Benchmark Report 2024* conducted by returns specialist ZigZag, in partnership with Retail Economics, accounting for 1 in 10 (11% of) online shoppers that make returns, are generating a quarter (24%) of all online non-food returns.

MandM, the online retailer specialising in discounted fashion, sports and outdoor brands, has launched the first of a series of live shopping events on Facebook and Instagram in collaboration with Sprii.

By Luke Alexander, freelance writer.

In today's digital landscape, social media has become a pivotal tool for eCommerce businesses looking to thrive in a competitive market. With 5.17 billion active users, social media is essential for businesses aiming to grow and sustain their presence.

Sinch, the company developing the way the world communicates through its Customer Communications Cloud, has released its predictions for the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BF/CM) shopping season.

Russia again owes more than $50 billion to former shareholders of the Yukos oil company after a court of appeal in the Netherlands upheld three international arbitration decisions on the lawsuits of Yukos shareholders that were brought down in 2014 in The Hague. This is the largest compensation in the history of international arbitration. The court thus agreed with the former shareholders that oil company Yukos was illegally nationalized and liquidated, while its assets were transferred to state-owned companies. Following the court decision in The Hague, the company's former shareholders will try to seize Russian property in other countries. It remains unclear, though, how long the complex process will take. The landmark decision to collect $50 billion from Russia was made in 2014  by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The plaintiffs in the case were three offshore companies: Hulley Enterprises Yukos Universal Veteran Petroleum, part of Group Menatep Limited. They owned 70% of Yukos and lost their money during its bankruptcy. Company founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky was not on the list of the plaintiffs. In accordance with the decision, Cyprus-based Hulley Enterprises and Yukos Universal Limited were to receive a compensation of $39.9 billion and $1.85 billion, respectively, while the Yukos Pension Fund Veteran Petroleum Ltd. - 8.2 billion dollars. In 2016, the execution of these decisions was suspended by the first instance of the Dutch court, which satisfied Russia's complaint, but now the plaintiffs will be able to resume their attempts to arrest Russian state property abroad. In turn, the Russian authorities intend to reach the Supreme Court of the Netherlands. Arresting Russian state property abroad worth $50 billion will be quite difficult Russia has the right to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, but proceedings in other countries to enforce the decisions to recover more than $50 billion may resume already now.

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.

Startups are a lot like infants. They come into the world vulnerable and needy. And it's your job, as the founder, to protect your new business much like a parent would with a helpless baby. Businesses face numerous risks from the start. And in many regards, it's your ability to protect your fledgling business during these early days that makes or breaks your chances of long-term success. In light of this, here are a few practical tips you may find valuable in your pursuit of growth and stability: Form the Right Legal Entity One of the first steps every business owner should take is to form the correct legal entity. This legal entity will provide tax advantages as well as certain asset protections. The most common types of legal entities include:

Bankruptcy isn't a topic that anyone likes to discuss. Creditors, debtors, and government officials all get a little queasy at the thought of bankruptcy, but it exists for a reason. And in many situations, it can provide relief when financial friction is heightened. But bankruptcy isn't the same in every country. Laws, rules, and stigmas differ rather significantly - particularly between Russia and the United States. The what and why of bankruptcy Bankruptcy is one of the primary methods by which control over an asset can be transferred to more capable or efficient owners in the instance of market economies. Ultimately, bankruptcy serves three distinct purposes: To solve collective action problems among creditors as they deal with insolvent debtors. To give individual debtors a chance at a "fresh start" when they're overburdened by debt. To preserve/save the financial distress firms have by reorganizing rather than liquidating. Bankruptcy is basically government-sanctioned relief that allows individuals or businesses to have debts forgiven, granted they meet specific criteria and follow certain guidelines. It plays an important role in keeping the larger economic engine hitting on all cylinders. Without bankruptcy, millions of citizens would find themselves impoverished and unable to financially recover from dire situations.

The runaway owner of TogliattiAzot, Sergei Makhlai, is once again in the spotlight of Russian media. This time their interest was aroused, apparently, by the media publications sponsored by Makhlai. Recently several Russian media have suggested that the chemical giant TogliattiAzot needs a change of ownership, since the current main owners of the plant, headed by Sergei Makhlai, have ruined the enterprise and criminalized it drastically. This seriously scared Makhlai, who attempted to justify himself and lay the blame on the others.

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.

It's difficult to highlight any positives of the recent pandemic. However, if one exists in the business world, it's the virtual infrastructure that was built on the fly to allow companies to make the shift away from traditional brick and mortar operations. If you've been on the fence about a permanent shift in the virtual direction, this is your time to shine. The benefits of going virtual

On March 8, McDonald's fast food restaurant chain announced a temporary closure of all of its restaurants in Russia. It goes about 850 outlets that employ 62,000 employees. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said that employees would still be paid their salaries during this period, but did not specify for how long and in what amount. McDonalds' decided to suspend its activities in Russia due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine as the company cannot ignore the human suffering. Starbucks coffee chain made a similar decision the same day. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said that all activities in Russia were suspended, including all shipments of all products.

Russia's refusal to pay $50 billion to former Yukos shareholders will lead to new investigations.On March 31, the Moscow City Court will consider an appeal, which was filed against the ruling to pay $35 million to former Yukos shareholder Alexey Golubovich by his ex-wife Olga Mirimskaya. Allegedly, she received the money for the sale of Yukos shares 15 years ago, and her ex-husband asked for his share as part of the divorce proceedings that have been ongoing for the last ten years. These are unusual demands as Mirimskaya has never owned shares in the oil company. In addition, Golubovich was not only its shareholder, but also served as the director for strategic planning and corporate finance at OAO NK Yukos and was aware of all information related to the financial dealings of the oil giant. A journalistic investigation conducted by Pravda.Ru showed that Alexey Golubovich likely still works in close collaboration with other ex-owners of Yukos. Alexey Golubovich, a former shareholder of Yukos oil company, and Olga Mirimskaya, the chairwoman of the Board of Directors of BKF Bank, divorced in 2012, but the litigation over the division of their marital property continues to this day. Olga Mirimskaya is the founder of the Russian Product Company. She is also President of BKF Bank. Mirimskaya is charged with giving a bribe — two vehicles worth a total of 3.25 million rubles — to Yury Nosov, an investigator at the Moscow Region Department of the Investigative Committee in 2017. He handled the case, in which she appeared as a victim in connection with the kidnapping of her daughter. Nosov and Mirimskaya were arrested in the bribery case. They plead not guilty, claiming that the case has been initiated under false pretences with malicious intent. "According to the defendant, the case was initiated by Alexey Golubovich, as well as by her former common-law partner Nikolai Smirnov, a co-owner of the Golden Crown payment system, as an act of revenge for the return of her daughter, in order to seize her property," Mirimskaya's lawyer Alexander Chernov said.

Continued. Read Part I of the article here. Alexey Golubovich, Yukos's former director for strategic planning and corporate finance was one of the main witnesses in the case against Yukos. How can one determine the basis of his testimony? Was it a wish to help the Russian justice system or the subtle game of a "double agent"? In order to understand this, one may need to recall a few facts from his business biography. In the first part of our investigation, we talked about Alexey Golubovich's business projects and lawsuits in 2010–2022, in which one could see both the shadows of his former Yukos colleagues (for example, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yuri Beilin) ​and the non-systemic opposition.

The losses that American, European and Japanese companies have suffered after they left the Russian market are evaluated at tens of billions of dollars, RIA Novosti reports. Since the beginning of the special operation in Ukraine to the present, foreign companies have lost a total of $70 billion. Companies of the fuel and energy complex have suffered the biggest losses. Many companies in this sector have deconsolidated and devalued Russian assets by ceasing to report the results of their activities in the country, they have not completely stopped working in Russia. For example, the UK-based BP, having made a number of statements about its decision to withdraw from Russian projects, was forced to retain shares in local assets. According to Putin's decree from August 5, shareholders from unfriendly countries will no longer be able to make transactions with shares in companies of strategic significane, fuel and energy companies and banks without the consent of the state. In its report for the first quarter of 2022, BP depreciated Russian assets in the amount of $25.5 billion, but it did not take practical steps to exit the projects.

Retail theft in the U.S. is reaching critical levels, costing businesses around $100 billion annually. While shoplifting and various forms of employee theft are rising, a particularly challenging issue is "sweethearting."

Check Point Research (CPR) has released a report revealing that ransomware remains the top cyber threat. RansomHub has quickly emerged as the fastest-growing group, operating through Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS).

With Halloween coinciding with school half-term and the religious festival of Diwali this year, UK shoppers embraced spooky season, delivering a boost to in-store shopper traffic, the latest data from Sensormaic Solutions, the leading retail traffic consulting and analytics group from Johnson Controls, shows.

By Marc Malafronte, director of sales, VIPRE Security Group.

As cyberattacks increase in frequency and sophistication, businesses must prioritize cybersecurity as a critical investment area. Managed service providers (MSPs) are crucial in supporting organizations on their cybersecurity journey.

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.

In recognition of Cyber Security Awareness Month, Uswitch Broadband experts set out to explore how well people are protecting themselves online. The survey uncovered common mistakes that leave people vulnerable to cyber risks, along with actionable tips on how to safeguard personal information.

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 Kumar Abhishek,Pixelo Digital.

As retailers gear up for the annual Black Friday rush this month, Supply Chain Managers, Production Planners and Inventory Managers face unique challenges in preparing for one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

The 2024 festive period could be a tricky one for retailers as shoppers hunt down the best deals amidst an ongoing cost of living crisis and focus the majority of their bargain hunting on the Black Friday weekend.