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WhatsApp are working on even more features for its users, with archiving and new view options for media now available for even more users before they're fully rolled out. As we keep a constant eye on the beta versions of many major apps, we get to see many new features and options before they hit the mainstream. Sometimes previews come well ahead of a wider release and it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's in the pipeline. But when it comes to the View Once feature and the New Archive option that we've been looking at recently, the time is now. WhatsApp has started the process of rolling these new tools and elements to more users, and while there is no guarantee that you'll see things immediately, you certainly should do soon. WhatsApp video uploads could soon eat up less data WhatsApp Business users will soon be able to hide from needy customers WhatsApp enables, disables and tinkers with voice waveforms feature The View Once feature is a disappearing message option that's specific to images and video. If you are sharing sensitive media files, you can opt to have them be automatically deleted after the recipient has seen them. This is not, as WABetaInfo points out, completely reliable as there is nothing to stop a recipient from screen grabbing an image – so keep this in mind. The second new option changes the way archived chats work. With the new implementation that is rolling out, any chats you archive will remain archive – and quiet – even new messages are received to that chat. In order to see notification and new messages, you will need to manually check the archive. When will these be available? The latest beta of WhatsApp for iOS also includes a new style of notification that is sure to be well-received. The redesigned in-app notifications can be seen in version 2.21.140.9 of the app, and it brings additional details to the notification banner. With the new look, it is not only possible to view attached images and videos, but also peek at messages without sending a read receipt. It is possible to expand the notification and then scroll up and down through that chat, but the read receipt will not be sent until the chat is viewed within the app itself.As previous features for WhatsApp have gone, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to expect these to be available in the coming weeks, now that they're in heavy testing with a larger pool of users. Both of the above features are also rolling out to users on both Android and iOS, but iOS users have something extra with new notifications to look forward to soon. Sofia is a tech journalist who's been writing about software, hardware and the web for nearly 20 years – but still looks as youthful as ever! After years writing for magazines, life moved online and remains fuelled by technology, music and nature. Having written for websites and magazine since 2000, producing a wide range of reviews, guides, tutorials, brochures, newsletters and more, Sofia continues to write for diverse audiences, from computing newbies to advanced users and business clients. Always willing to try something new, sharing new discoveries is a major passion. Sofia lives and breathes Windows, Android, iOS, macOS and just about anything with a power button, but particular areas of interest include security, tweaking and privacy.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Blade of Demon Destruction), follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, who's family was slaughtered by demons and his sister, Nezuko, is turned into a demon. He strives to become a demon slayer to avenge his family and take revenge for what has happened to his sister. The manga was serialized in Japan for Weekly Shōnen Jump and combined into volumes that have been released by VIZ Media. Demon Slayer has also been released as an anime by Ufotable and also has an animated movie, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, that was produced in 2020 with a sequel to follow. The movie is currently the highest anime film and Japanese film of all time. The manga is the tenth best manga series of all time. In celebration of Demon Slayer's success in both print and film, ASUS has collaborated with the Demon Slayer franchise to release the Vivobook Pro 14 OLED laptop, the ASUS GeForce RTX 3060 TUF, as well as a selection of computer accessories based off of a few of the more notable characters of the series.The Vivobook Pro 14 OLED laptop has artwork based off the series. The Vivo book is equipped with a 2.8K OLED screen, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (Cezanne) processors, 10 bit, a full DCI-P3 color coverage, and a 90 Hz refresh rate. While the laptop does is not made for high-end gaming, it does supply high-end creators with an option to support their Demon Slayer fandom . Along with the Vivobook Demon Slayer Edition, ASUS will also release headsets, mousepads, and other routers inspired by Demon Slayer series characters such as Tanjiro Kamado (a green styled gaming headset and matching mouse), Nezuko Kamado (a pink inspired headset and matching mousepad), and a wireless router inspired by the mysterious boar-headed swordsman Inosuke Hashibira. ASUS will also launch a new TUF B560 PLUS WIFI motherboard, TUF Gaming GT501 computer chassis, RT-AX86U gaming router, and TUF Gaming 240 LC ARGB CPU cooler, with corresponding colors and artwork of one of the largest antagonists of the manga, Zenitsu Agatsumam. The Demon Slayer inspired Vivobook 14 OLED laptop is now listed at the website JD at ¥5499, or $849. Source: ASUS (Weibo), JD via @momomo_us, VIZ Media

Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of the most highly-detailed games that year when it first came out in 2018, with extensively interacting systems—including realistic animal behaviour. While some critics asked if that experience was worth the human cost of "death march" crunch needed to develop it, it had an additional surprising outcome. According to a paper published for the 'People and Nature' journal, players who had played either Red Dead Redemption 2 or Red Dead Online were better at identifying real life animals than those who hadn't. The study asked over 500 self-selected gamers to name specific animals, first with a blank text field and then with a multiple choice. The researchers left out "charismatic megafauna" like wolves or bears, opting for creatures like the little egret, and the steelhead trout—these animals being ones that appear in the games. Players who had finished Red Dead Redemption 2's main story, or taken a "Naturalist" role in Red Dead Online, were notably better at identifying the animals. Those who hadn't played either, and those outside of North America, did less well. The thinking behind the study was that "edutainment" games tend to be unpo[CENSORED]r. They're often harder to engage with because you can feel that they're trying to educate you. When players already immerse themselves in po[CENSORED]r games, the education can be a side-benefit—put those gamer codex tendencies to good use.The study wasn't an unequivocal endorsement of games as an educational good, however: participants themselves noted that the animals in-game are depicted as more aggressive than their real-life counterparts. The study also noted that the game (set in the bandit-fighting wild west) is very much not for children.

link : https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/auto/improvements-are-a-must-to-prevent-auto-sector-workers-from-losing-their-fingers-sandeep-sachdeva-of-safe-in-india-foundation-7150961.html India’s automobile companies and their strong backbone of component suppliers are among the largest contributors to the country’s manufacturing GDP. However, its labour productivity is ranked 115th, one of the lowest in the world. Moneycontrol spoke to Sandeep Sachdeva, co-founder and managing director of Safe in India Foundation, who is spearheading worker safety in units that are part of the auto sector’s supply chain. Edited excerpts: Q. When you compare the latest SII report with the previous edition, what glaring changes do you see? A. We have two series of reports. Our CRUSHED series reported about 500 injuries every year for three years until FY20. We are now analysing our FY21 data and will report that in our third annual report later in the year. However, overall, sadly we will report about 500 injuries again. Remember, this is from only our small on-the-ground team and that too only in Gurgaon/Faridabad. The real number will probably be a multiple of that in the country. Although injuries reported to us in Gurgaon have reduced in FY21, this is potentially a result of the COIVID-19 lockdown of the industry, when the Employee State Insurance Corporation’s functioning also slowed down. We, however, had a much larger number of injuries reported to us in Faridabad, where we started tracking about a year back… In this first 2021 report of the new series, SafetyNiti, we have found, for the first time, that most of the top 10 auto sector brands do not have adequate worker-safety policies and practices for their deeper supply chain and for contract workers. This is based on the information we could find on their relevant policies in the public domain. Improvements in these policies are a must to prevent thousands of workers losing their hands/fingers in these component-making factories. Q. What conclusion should readers arrive at about the process of automotive manufacturing in India? A. The auto brands are highly profitable. Customers are increasingly demanding international quality of the product and safety for themselves. Sadly, the manufacturing processes among many suppliers are not professional enough and certainly not safe enough for workers, especially in the smaller factories. Fifty-nine percent of the injuries reported to us happen only on one kind of machine – the power press – where 80+ percent machines did not have even simple safety sensors. The majority of injured workers say that their accidents resulted from excessive production pressure. We have met a number of very professional suppliers who understand that caring for workers pays off in the long run and we believe they are the businesses for the future. But if India has to develop better and faster in the auto sector or manufacturing, our industry needs to stop cutting corners and improve the working conditions for labour. Those who don’t do this will get left behind sooner or later and will not help India’s cause. Q. Do you expect any changes in the manufacturing processes after the release of the report? A. We certainly hope so. At least in three ways in the short term: (a) recognition of worker safety as a driver of productivity and quality, as some of the auto brands and suppliers have stated themselves… low-cost automation can prevent many accidents and improve productivity on many machines; (b) a focus in the auto sector on power press safety… Maruti has already started an initiative on that and we hope others follow, (c) and, hopefully, a better set of production policies and procedures from Indian auto brands that push their suppliers, including tier 2/3/4, to professionalism and improve their production processes. Q. Do you have comparisons of how such processes are followed in developed countries? A. We have not conducted a methodical comparison of processes as that is not our area of focus and auto brands have this competence and experience already. It is a good idea and maybe we should do that at some stage, especially comparing processes of the same auto brands in India and say, Germany, or even China. I am sure there is a difference in scale, automation of processes, robotics, etc., but we are stressing the underlying process principle – that of manufacturing design thinking that includes worker safety as a critical factor and not only as a small cost of production. Also, developed countries have a much stronger policy and judicial framework that is much more worker safety-friendly. In the UK, where I spend a lot of time, I do not believe that crush injuries in the auto sector are common at all. The financial penalty for such a loss to a worker due to a factory’s negligence will run into the equivalent of crores of rupees. We need to increase the cost of such accidents for factory owners in India to drive them towards safer manufacturing practices. Q. Are you happy with the way original equipment manufacturers or their suppliers cooperated with SII for the report? he Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association have engaged with us and so have six of the 10 auto sector brands for this report and its release. That is great and we hope that now the auto brands and these apex sector organisations, who have the might to make a difference, initiate the actions recommended by us. It is a challenging task, given the depth of the supply chain, but we cannot delay actions to map the supply chain, identify good and bad manufacturing processes, and start attacking the problem. Even if only power press shops are focussed upon, we could halve these injuries in a year. We will continue to work with the industry, support them where we can and provide an external checkpoint on the integrity and effectiveness of any actions taken or indeed not taken. We believe that we all want to improve this situation for the sake of workers and the businesses, small and large, and indeed for Indian manufacturing and its future on the world stage. Our main job is to increase awareness, recommend solutions and show the mirror when needed.

link : https://www.standard.net/lifestyle/home_and_family/safe-as-houses-make-sure-yours-is-locked-up-tight/article_230c2bf7-e126-50fb-8f18-24a85ac10d0d.html “Locks are for honest people,” said the man who ended up in prison for embezzlement. True story. I heard this at a very young age from a man who, several years later, I recognized on a local news station when the anchor reported the story. If someone wants something bad enough, a simple lock won’t stop them; even in Utah. Just last week, I scheduled out a few hours during a weekday to go paddleboarding. I attached my trailer to my car and loaded up the boards. When I returned to the garage to grab the paddles, they were not there. We have a specific shelf high in our garage for the boards and paddles. Since I am 5 feet, 1 inch tall on a good day, and only if measured in the morning, I must retrieve the boards with a ladder. I climbed back up to the very top rung of the ladder, so I had a clear view of the shelves, and the paddles were not there. We then searched the entire garage when we quickly became aware that other items were missing as well. Power tools, shovels, screwdrivers and a Shop-Vac were all missing. Why they didn’t take my box of cool Halloween décor or my box of high school memorabilia remains a mystery, but some of the other stuff was just plain gone. We had no idea when it had happened. We lock our doors when we are not home, including the doors on the garage leading to the yard. The garage window remains locked as well. Since I am in and out throughout the day, as is my husband and daughter, we don’t have predictable schedules, so it would be difficult for a thief to plan anything. It is possible this was a crime of opportunity. Occasionally, when I am just popping by the house for a few minutes, I leave the garage door open, but I have a miniature yorkie alarm, so no one would be able to approach unnoticed. Not to mention, we have a posted home security system sign in our front garden area, which should act as a notable deterrent. In fact, installation of a home security can reduce the chances of a break in by nearly 300% — as an added bonus, you may get a discount on your homeowner’s insurance as well. Although locks are for the honest, a full 22% of thieves enter through an unlocked door or window. As a side note, a locked door can quickly become an unlocked door by accessing the key that is “hiding” under the obligatory fake rock or doormat. A little more creativity in the hiding department would be in order. Besides the standard advise of keeping mum on the dates decided for the family to be out of the house on vacation, we often forget that leaving a garage door opener in a car parked outside the garage also allows easy access to the interior of the home. A locked car is also for honest people. Exterior lighting is not just for esthetics either. A well-lit home is less likely to be burglarized. Motion lights are an inexpensive way to “secure” the home. It is, however, a bummer when the teenager attempts to sneak home after curfew, at least for the teenager. Fortunately, we keep our more valuable items inside a locked safe. We believe, in our case, this was a crime of opportunity by a subcontractor who was doing some exterior work on our landscaping. He was fired after the second day, for reasons unrelated to the thefts. Either way, the home is one of a person’s largest financial assets. It deserves a little protection.

link : https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/unvaccinated-tourists-trudeau-1.6095247 . Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that Canada has no plans to open its borders to unvaccinated tourists in the foreseeable future because the pandemic isn't over yet. "That's not going to happen for quite a while," Trudeau told a news conference in Coquitlam, B.C. "We're not quite out of this pandemic yet. We still have to be careful, we still have to be vigilant." Canada has relaxed some of its border restrictions in recent weeks as COVID-19 case counts and other health metrics have steadily improved since the spring. For example, the country no longer requires fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the country. However, fully vaccinated international tourists are not yet permitted to enter the country, though officials have said that restriction will soon be coming to an end. WATCH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlines Canada's priorities for easing border restrictions "We are going to make sure we are moving forward on that in the coming weeks," Trudeau said. He did not offer a specific date. "We have to make sure, however, every step of the way that we are not sliding back, that we are not having to re-close, not having to go yo-yoing again in our openings and closings." Travel restrictions between Canada and the United States preventing all non-essential trips, including tourism, are also set to remain in place until at least July 21. Border restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadians loosen, but plan for wider reopening remains unclear Border restrictions to begin easing slowly for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers Monday Canada needs a re-opening plan, not an election, industry group says The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable, a national advocacy group, is urging the federal government to release a "comprehensive" border re-opening plan before sending Canadians to the polls. The Liberal government is widely expected to call a federal election sometime in the late summer or early fall. That prospect is raising concerns that Canada's struggling tourism sector could be left in limbo for months to come. "We all know that an election means a pause on all government activity. Canadians and Canadian businesses deserve to know what re-opening looks like long before a federal election is called," said Perrin Beatty, the group's president and CEO, in a media statement. Beatty's organization estimates that Canada's tourism industry accounts for $102 billion in economic activity annually. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News Report Typo or Error

Insider build testers got a surprise in the form of a new update to Windows 11, bringing many bug fixes and some new features as well. It’s been two weeks since the test build was released to Insiders on the dev channel, enabling many users to test how the latest upgrade from Microsoft runs, and whether there were any improvements to feed back to the company on. With a rumored release date of October, having updates being brought out almost every fortnight makes sense to see just what has been fixed or improved upon thanks to the early feedback from these users. Here’s how you can downgrade from Windows 11 to 10 Check out the best laptops you can buy Windows 10 is still on schedule to see an update soon What’s new in Windows 11? The newest build, named 22000.65 (KB5004745), brings a dedicated search bar to the new Start menu. While this was hidden before, and would only show when you would start to type a query, having it appear at all times will make it much easier for others if they can’t find the app or file they need. The taskbar is now also able to show across multiple monitors at once, so you can easily reach an app or the start menu without having to go to one of the monitors to access it as before. While there’s numerous fixes in this build thanks to the feedback of users running Windows 11, there are other improvements in this build, such as: Available snap layouts when using smaller PCs in portrait orientation have been optimized for that posture. You can now choose to snap three apps on top of each other, instead of four quadrants. Several system alert dialog boxes are now updated, such as the alert for when the battery is running low on your laptop or when you change your display settings with the new Windows 11 visual design. The ‘Power mode’ settings are now available on the ‘Power & battery’ page in Settings. Right clicking the desktop now directly has a Refresh option without needing to click ‘Show more options’. How can I update to the latest build? You can update to the latest build of Windows 11 by going to the Start menu and typing in ‘Settings’, select the application, and navigate to ‘Windows Update’. Select ‘Check for Updates’ and the latest build of 22000.65 should appear. After it downloads and installs, you will be on the latest build, with all the improvements and fixes listed above. Find out where to buy Windows 10 Daryl is the Software and Downloads Writer at TechRadar, where you will see his posts covering Apple, Google, Microsoft and the software that they all inhabit.

The game changing BLUETTI AC200 power station was initially released to the public on July 1st, 2020. After pulling in a staggering $6.7M US dollars on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo and having sold tens of thousands of units over the past year, BLUETTI has continued working on making major improvements to their power stations and by listening to their customers. Today, they are extremely happy to announce the culmination of this work over the past year. Even more powerful heavy-duty power stations, yet still extremely flexible. For the first time ever, BLUETTI will be launching 4 new models at the same time: The portable power stations BLUETTI AC200 MAX, the BLUETTI AC300, and the expandable battery modules BLUETTI B230 & BLUETTI B300. After hinting of something big coming in their official Facebook group originally on June 23rd, the company has now unveiled a whole picture of these new power monsters today! AC300: 3~6kW, 3~24kWh. HUGE Leap Forward BLUETTI’s first 3,000W home power center - The EP500 Pro - has caused a huge sensation with its premiere debut on Kickstarter. Now, shortly after the end of the EP500 crowdfunding, BLUETTI is pleased to release their first, much more flexible, modular 3kW flagship model: Meet the AC300. These four new arrivals follow BLUETTI’s classic design language of their AC series: A delicate, rectangular power box with two solid lifting handles on the top of each side, and the AC300 is no exception. Yet surprisingly, the AC300 does NOT come with an internal battery pack. Its modular design allows you to select B300 battery module to mate with the AC300. This new modular design is a bold move for BLUETTI, but for a heavy-duty unit like BLUETTI AC300, this design not only significantly reduces the weight of each single unit but also allows users to replace any or all batteries, if necessary, in the future. And since the system is modular, you can carry each module individually. Whether it is up the stairs to your bedroom, or outside to your van, you will be protecting your back from heavy lifting by being able to carry your modular BLUETTI system, module by module, instead of everything at once. Under the hood, there is a 3,000W pure sine wave inverter and an MPPT controller which can support up to a staggering 2,400W of solar charging. A single AC300 supports up to four battery packs for a whopping total of 12.3kWh of capacity. Do you still feel like that’s not enough power? With BLUETTI’s Fusion Box Pro, you can connect two AC300s to double the power and capacity at the same time! Boast up to 6,000W of continuous power, 24.6kWh capacity in total, and 10.4kW of groundbreaking solar input capability! This setup can be an emergency power center and run your home essentials for over a week, or with enough solar panels, you can even run your entire whole house, off-grid… indefinitely. AC200 MAX: An All-round Upgraded Successor With the new BLUETTI AC200 MAX, despite looking identical to the AC200P, there have been many changes and improvements that make the AC200 MAX an attractive solar generator in its own right. For I/O capability, the AC200 MAX features higher continuous output power at 2,200W from its pure sine wave inverter, a 100W PD3.0 USB-C port, an upgraded MPPT controller which now handles up to 900W of solar input and a built-in 30A NEMA TT-30 outlet designed especially for the RV crowds. And most importantly of all after feedback and listening to our customers, finally, the BLUETTI AC200 MAX supports Bluetooth connection and can be controlled wirelessly with the new BLUETTI Smartphone App (iOS & Android). And it too, also supports expandable battery packs! The AC200 MAX supports up to two additional battery packs, using either the BLUETTI B230 or B300. With two BLUETTI B300 you can easily expand your AC200 MAX to a massive 8192Wh of capacity to run all of your essential needs at home or on-the-go for hours, days, or even more than a week! Availability & Date According to the information released by BLUETTI, they will be launching all of these exciting models on their official website www.bluettipower.com. No crowdfunding or prolonged waiting this time! Orders for the AC200 MAX and B230 battery modules will begin in late August 2021 and will be delivered as quickly as three weeks. The BLUETTI AC300 and B300 will arrive later in September 2021 and will also be delivered as quickly as two weeks. You may join their official Facebook Launch Group for more information and subscribe to their emails on their product pages for super early bird pricing when the new models are available. One More Thing At the end of BLUETTI’s hinting via their social media outlets, the company showed us a sneak peak of some-kind “product roadmap.”. BLUETTI listed the AC200 MAX as the “Challenger”, the BLUETTI AC300 as the “Dominator”, and a mysterious “APEX” to be released in the end of 2021. This may indicate that the company is working on another even more powerful, classified model in the lab. They have not said anything about this “APEX” model yet. So, let us wait and see!

It's not confirmed for PC yet, but it'll probably come eventually. A new trailer for the Death Stranding Director's Cut aired during PlayStation's State of Play event today, showing that it'll be more than just a few new stealth missions and a PS5 performance boost. The most salient proof of this is racing. The Fragile Circuit racing mode only appears for a couple of seconds in the above trailer, but that's enough to see that you'll be able to pit roadsters against trikes and trucks in what's probably the creepiest racing circuit since Banshee Boardwalk. There's also a range of new delivery tools, such as the delivery catapult, which solves the problem of carting a heavy load by simply tossing it to (or towards) a destination. A support skeleton seems to improve Sam's strength, while a new buddy bot follows you around and can be mounted if you want. I'm especially excited for the new jump ramps, which let you glide over wide chasms without fussing around with boring bridges. Combat improvements include a revamp of the game's melee fighting, a new 'maser gun' (it's a laser gun), mounted machine guns and a firing range to practice using your weapons. There's also new story missions, so it's a pretty substantial update. At the time of writing a PC version hasn't been confirmed, though it'll probably come eventually, fingers crossed.Shaun is PC Gamer’s Australian editor and news writer. He mostly plays platformers and RPGs, and keeps a close eye on anything of particular interest to antipodean audiences. He (rather obsessively) tracks the movements of the Doom modding community, too.

Cathay Pacific is introducing a new travel lifestyle brand known simply as 'Cathay' as the company 'moves beyond' being a pure airline service. 'Cathay' will integrate rewards and loyalty services with new partnership offerings and curated experiences for dining, shopping, wellness, hotel stays and flights on a new platform with the tagline 'Elevate Your Life'. Its first new offer will be a new Cathay co-branded credit card soon to be launched in Hong Kong. The new brand will bring together Cathay Pacific, Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles to simplify the way customers earn status and use miles. This refreshed customer relationship programme is set to be rolled out in the first half of 2022. Initially, the new 'Cathay' brand will only be available in Hong Kong, but the aim is to expand it to other markets over time. Importantly, Cathay Pacific will remain the name of the airline globally. “It's all part of 'Move Beyond'—a vision for leadership, innovation and service excellence," said Edward Bell, general manager of Brand, Insights, Marketing at Cathay Pacific. "Travel meets the everyday. The new 'Cathay' brand brings travel thinking and inspiration closer, into our everyday life.” 'Elevate Your Life' campaign To mark the launch, the Cathay team at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong has developed a new campaign with out-of-home visuals and a film visualising Cathay's many rewards. Read more at: In it, the protagonist finds herself elevated in a 'magical world' where she is literally elevated, floating through a lush vegetable garden, a sea of dresses, a fitness galaxy with giant sports balls and a space filled with hotel chairs, encapsulating the various experiences provided through the new 'Cathay’. Natalie Lam, chief creative officer for APAC and MEA at Publicis Groupe, said: “Hong Kong is a city full of premium lifestyle brands, we need a film that sets Cathay apart from the usual glitzy yet identical competition. Taking inspiration from Cathay’s heritage of service and attention to details, we want to take the viewer out of the expected reality, by injecting magical twists into everyday moments, and bring them into an immersive, fluid journey of visual wonder.” CREDITS Chief Creative Officer: Natalie Lam Group Creative Director: Christopher Lee Associate Creative Director: Jackie Wong Senior Copywriter: Jay Lee, Zee Yeo Senior Art Director: Anastasia Simone Agency Producer: Annie Tong, Pelie Kwok Account Management: Victor Lam, Jessica Lim, Javy Leung Production Company: NZ Valley Production

American authorities have revoked the NEXUS trusted traveller cards of thousands of Canadians over the past five years — more than three times the number revoked by Canadian officials, CBC News has learned. And experts say that if a Canadian's NEXUS card is revoked by American officials, it's difficult to appeal the decision or get it reversed. "Very, very few have been successful and in the last year and a half, it has been almost impossible" said Toronto lawyer Cyndee Todgham Cherniak. The NEXUS trusted traveller program, run jointly by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), allows card holders to fast-track through customs and speed through airports. While many use the cards for cross-border travel, some card holders use it primarily for reducing wait times while travelling within Canada. Court rules NEXUS cards can't be cancelled for minor rules infractions Border restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadians loosen, but plan for wider reopening remains unclear The CBSA said there were 1.7 million NEXUS card holders as of May 2021. According to the CBP, 77 per cent of those with NEXUS cards are Canadian, 21 per cent are American and 2 per cent fall in the category of "other". But while Americans make up a smaller percentage of members, numbers obtained by CBC News show that American officials are responsible for 77 per cent of NEXUS card revocations. Canadian and American officials revoked 15,807 NEXUS cards between Jan. 1, 2016 and May 25, 2021. The CBSA says it revoked 3,591 cards — 22 per cent of revocations — while American CBP officials revoked 12,216 cards. CBP spokesperson Rhonda Lawson said the service cannot say how many of the cards the American agency revoked were held by Canadians and how many belonged to Americans. But overall, she said, 70 per cent of the cards revoked by either the CBSA or the CBP were held by Canadians, 26 per cent of the revoked cards were held by Americans and 4 per cent of those whose cards were revoked fell into the category of "other". Lawson said those whose cards are revoked, or whose applications are denied by American authorities, can appeal to the CBP's ombudsman. Todgham Cherniak said that's not as easy as it sounds. "There isn't a robust, transparent process to appeal a NEXUS card confiscation or cancellation by the U.S. officials." Todgham Cherniak won a recent Federal Court of Canada case in which a judge found that a Montreal businessman should not have lost his NEXUS card due to a minor infraction. The judge also ruled that it was incumbent on government officials to explain why a minor infraction caused them to lose trust in him. While there is a process for Canadians or Americans whose NEXUS cards are revoked by the CBSA, it's difficult to even reach the CBP ombudsman, she said. Manitoba discarding enhanced IDs for U.S. entry Three Nexus eGate lanes open at the Ambassador Bridge "Last year we had a situation for a number of Canadians where we sent a paper copy of the submissions to the old U.S. CBP ombudsman address," she said. "They were all returned because they moved. "So we picked up the phone and called U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Nobody within Customs and Border Protection knew where they had moved to. They didn't know the new person to write to, or how to get in touch with anybody." Retired lawyer Ruth Hornstein tried to appeal to the ombudsman when her newly-renewed NEXUS card was revoked at Montreal's Trudeau airport in 2018 because a friend travelling with her had an apple and an avocado in her purse — a violation of U.S. agricultural rules. "They said, 'I'm sorry, you can't have your NEXUS card back, it has been revoked for life,'" she said. Zero tolerance Robert Leo, a New York lawyer who has represented Canadians whose NEXUS cards were revoked by American authorities, said the Americans adopted a zero tolerance policy long ago. "Anything that is out of the ordinary at the border, they take away the NEXUS card," he said. It isn't easy to appeal the decision to revoke a card, he said. "There are no regulations in the United States, unlike Canada," said Leo, adding that CBP has rejected the idea of adopting regulations. "There are no procedures other than now you can ask for reconsideration of a customs decision online." Leo, who estimates his firm wins about 30 per cent of the appeals it files, said those looking to file an appeal should first use the Freedom of Information Act to get copies of their files. A track record of crossing into the U.S. without violations before or after the incident can also help, he said. "The one thing that somebody has to prove is that they were a trusted traveller before, they are a trusted traveller now and this was an aberration," said Leo. Todgham Cherniak said she would like the Canadian government to get involved and urge the American government to improve its appeal process. "What we really need to do is have the Canadian government reach out to the U.S. government saying, 'This isn't fair,'" she said. Elizabeth Thompson can be reached at elizabeth.thompson@cbc.ca

The new indoor module for Cornell’s Eddy3D software, which shows airflow in various indoor configurations, will be available July 30. Credit: Cornell University As offices nationwide spring back to life, interior space designers and architects will soon have an easy-to-use planning tool to place indoor workplace furniture, staff, partitions and ventilation in a manner that maximizes fresh air flow and reduces the risk of airborne pathogens. The Cornell Environmental Systems Lab in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning will introduce a new indoor module for their existing Eddy3D software, a professional-level airflow and microclimate simulator that can help improve ventilation. The new indoor module will be released this summer, while the research supporting it will be presented at the International Building Performance Association conference this September in Belgium. Based on computational fluid dynamics, the tool features a simple user interface, a validated simulation engine and streamlined simulation setup for a fast analysis. It shows the eddies of air flow and can indicate regions in rooms where air is stagnant and pathogens begin to concentrate. The lab's research show that furniture—and people—have a large influence on virus diffusion throughout the floor plan. Plastic partitions can block the virus diffusion, but direct air allows a higher virus dissipation rate. "As a designer or an architect, it's very difficult to develop an intuition for airflow," said Timur Dogan, assistant professor in the Department of Architecture, who directs the Environmental Systems Lab. "With this, you are getting a good synchronization of airflow everywhere, so that you're not mixing or transporting bad air from one location to another, or from one desk to another." "Architects and designers are not necessarily experts in computational fluid dynamics," Dogan said. "The goal is to help professionals make decisions about workplace and classroom environments." The Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability funded the research.

The Setonix supercomputer from the Pawsey SuperComputing firm is all set to include AMD's next-gen Instinct MI200 GPUs and EPYC Milan CPUs. The specifications for Setonix supercomputer were confirmed by CTO, Ugo Varetto, during ISC 2021. Setnoix Supercomputer To Be Powered by AMD's Next-Gen Instinct MI200 128 GB GPUs & EPYC Milan CPUs The specifications of AMD's Instinct MI200 HPC GPU accelerator were revealed last week. It looks like the Setnoix supercomputer is now all set to be one of the first products to feature the CDNA 2 GPUs with MCM technology. The Setnoix supercomputer will be featuring over 200,000 EPYC Milan cores and more than 750 of the brand new AMD MI-Next GPUs (Instinct MI200) based on the CDNA 2 architecture. The AMD Instinct MI200 GPUs featuring the CDNA 2 architecture are codenamed Aldebaran and will be the first GPUs to feature an MCM design. You can find more details on that here. The GPU will feature 128 GB of HBM2e memory across an 8192-bit bus interface. Since there are at least 750 GPUs featured in the Setnoix GPU, there's a total of 96 Terabytes of graphics memory available on the system. In terms of CPUs, the system will feature at least 200,000 EPYC Milan cores, and considering that these will most likely be 64 core parts, we can expect the total number of CPUs to be 3125. Other specifications include 548+ TB of system memory, Near-node NVMe storage, 15 PB of ClusterStor Lustre filesystem with 2.7 PB SSDs, 90 PB Ceph Storage (60 PB with 8+3 erasure coding) & a fully software configurable HPC environment based around the HPE Cray Sashta platform. When all is put together, the Setnoix supercomputer will deliver up to 50 PetaFlops of horsepower & will cost around 70 Million dollars. “We recently received 70 million dollars in funding to invest in replacing our computing, network and storage infrastructure,” Varetto said. “With the recently received funding, we acquired a brand new HPE Cray supercomputer named after a small marsupial endemic to areas close to Perth” – the computer is named Setonix – “[and] in a separate procurement, we acquired 60 petabytes of object storage which will be soon be integrated with the HPE supercomputer in the future.” The AMD powered Setnoix supercomputer will be used to discover new galaxies and also help develop improved diagnostic tests for COVID-19. Currently, the Pawsey Center in Australia is dependent on its Magnus and Galaxy systems which combined have a total processing power of just 1.83 PetaFlops.

Speedrunning involves a lot of trying to figure out the precise logic of a game. Discovering where it's making checks, how it orders operations, figuring out the cracks in the code. The best speedrunners may as well have a flowchart for getting through any given stage—but rarely is that chart as literal as in Styx: Shards of Darkness. Annual speedrun fest Summer Games Done Quick is currently underway, and Heat Signature developer Tom Francis spotted a truly bizarre skip in runner Tohelot's Styx run last night (thanks, RPS). It turns out that the game logic for levels is embedded within its own geometry. Figure out how to reach it, and you can stomp your grubby goblin footprints all over it. "The database holds all the information about the level objectives and we just go on top of the buttons and press 'yeah, we did the thing' and go to the next level," explains Tohelot.These charts are likely a quick and dirty way to help test a level's logic during development, but it effectively lets the runner tell the game he's done a map's objectives without doing them. Since the game often reuses maps, the same chart is often repeated across levels, letting you reuse the skip across a run.Getting to these charts still requires a bit of work, mind, and Tohelot's co-commentator notes it's often quicker to just outright speedrun a mission as normal. You can catch his full run over on Twitch, with Summer Games Done Quick 2021 still running live until Sunday, July 11.A one-time dog sledder, pancake flipper, alien wrangler and indie darling, Nat now scours the internet looking for the hottest PC gaming news. Destined to become Scotland's first Battlemech pilot.

CHENNAI: It is not just humans who would have to show a Covid-19 negative certificate when entering India via flights. The ministry of finance instructed customs authorities across India to allow import of animals such as cats, lions, leopards and pumas only after they are tested for Covid-19 at the exporting country, when they are to be imported. The directions were issued on June 30 and are to be followed as long as India is still battling the viral infection, the directive said. “In this regard, the concerned regional officers/quarantine officers, animal quarantine and certification services (AQCS) will issue advance NOC/Final AQCS clearance for import of aforesaid animals into India after receiving negative Covid-19 test report (no more than three days old before export),” the directive said. This directive is significant for Chennai as nine lions tested positive last month at Arignar Anna zoological park in the city and two died. Chennai international airport is also the only one in the country where many incidents of smuggling of wild cats into India have been busted and the animals seized. There have been seizures of many other animals as well. As per technical factsheets of World Animal Health Organisation, large cats like tigers, lions, snow leopards and pumas and gorillas have high susceptibility of infection against natural Covid-19 infection. Sources in Chennai Customs said many expats living in or posted for duty to India would bring their pets like cats along and this directive for Covid tests would be applicable to them. In case customs authorities find wildlife being imported without necessary documents, the animal would be sent back to the country of export, officials said. Such animals pose danger to local wildlife and also could introduce hitherto unknown infections, officials said.

New Delhi: To reduce India’s imports of crude oil, the Modi government has advanced its goal to rollout ethanol-blended fuel from 2025 instead of 2030. However, many players in the automobile sector are hesitant about the move. Their concerns range from whether existing vehicles would be E20 (the new ethanol-blended fuel is a 20 per cent blending of ethanol with petrol) compliant, loss in fuel efficiency to whether India has the capacity to maintain a consistent supply of ethanol. The advanced target of five years is aimed at making a quicker switch to clean energy (ethanol has less carbon emissions) and to self-sufficiency in fuel energy (due to reduced dependence on crude oil). It will also benefit farmers as ethanol is made from sugar production, so farmers are expected to earn more once E20 fuels are rolled out. The roadmap to using ethanol-blended fuels In early June, an expert committee report laid down the roadmap on ethanol blending in India. It stated the benefits of the blend, its use in Brazil and the US, its production, and the changes vehicle manufacturers will have to make, and its challenges. The report proposes a target of achieving E10 (10 per cent of ethanol blended in petrol) supply by April 2022 and a phased rollout of E20 from April 2023 to April 2025 with the final rollout done by 2025. Rakesh Sarwal, Additional Secretary, Niti Aayog, spearheading the committee, told ThePrint this was a very important project which had enormous benefits and would truly help India reach its goal of aatmanirbharta. The roadmap to have 20 per cent blending of ethanol will result in annual saving of $5 billion in India’s oil imports. The road ministry has laid down guidelines for emission norms and safety standards for using E20 as an automotive fuel and given safety requirements for type approval of pure ethanol and ethanol-gasoline blended vehicles in India, along with consultations with vehicle manufacturers to develop the required technology. Too much, too soon? However, the automobile sector is concerned with this advanced timeline. From modifications in vehicles to changes in engines and talks of retrofitting kits for E20 fuels in already existing vehicles — these are the main issues, which has the industry and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hesitant about the goal set for the supply of E20 ethanol fuel by 2025. Among the main concerns of SIAM are the already plying vehicles that are designed to run on gasoline. “Currently there are close to 20 crore vehicles on the road and these vehicles are not compatible for E20 fuels. Therefore, our first and foremost primary request is to allow existing customers to continue using normal fuel or allow their vehicles to run on E10 fuels”, said P.K. Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, to ThePrint. Modifications required Speaking about the calorific value of ethanol (2/3 of gasoline), Banerjee compared one litre of petrol to ethanol to explain that more ethanol-blended fuel would be required for the same energy function. “Hence, it will be more viable for a consumer if ethanol-blended fuels be charged at a lower price than gasoline,” he said. Keeping the differing calorific values in mind, the expert committee mentioned that the loss in fuel efficiency in four-wheelers and two-wheelers can be handled with a few modifications in vehicles. The report includes a letter by the automobile industry that mentions that the availability of E10 fuel is a must for existing vehicles even after E20 deployment. The letter further states that “SIAM welcomes E20 implementation and a dispensing programme 2028 onwards”. Banerjee explained that besides changes in vehicle manufacturing, compression rates in engines, loss in fuel efficiency, there were also worries about how one bad monsoon could impact the supply of ethanol. “The per model development cost for vehicles to incorporate E20 fuels will be significant. This coupled with questions on whether we have enough sugar production and if one bad monsoon will impact the supply of ethanol is also a concern,” he said. The expert committee of NITI Aayog also mentions that there are states which do not produce ethanol along with the restriction on inter-state movement of ethanol, coupled with the high transportation costs.

If you are 40, you may feel that losing weight is a herculean task. But, according to Manik Dhodi, fitness expert and athlete, with healthy lifestyle changes and maintained activity levels losing weight is very much possible. As such, he shares effective weight loss ideas for those over 40 years of age: Eat your vegetables and salad first Fill at least half of your plate with salad and vegetables and build your meals around them. Although meats and grains are equally important, fruits and veggies have more nutrient value from vitamins and minerals and are less on fat and calories. However, you could increase the intake of high fibre foods as they improve digestion, prevent weight gain and fat accumulation while keeping you satiated, reducing the chances of overeating significantlyEating at regular intervals during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. By skipping meals, you could be missing out on essential nutrients that the body requires. Breakfast is an equally important meal of the day. Perhaps it might be even more important since your body has already fasted for 10-12 hours. A healthy morning meal like oatmeal with fruits or whole-wheat bread with fruits could take care of that mid-morning hunger that compels you to grab something unhealthy or overeat during your lunch. However, you could lay low over the dinner and eat while monitoring what to eat and how much. Water intake plays a very important role in multiple aspects of a healthy body as well as in reducing weight. Staying well-hydrated helps in pumping up your metabolism, smoothening waste removal and in burning excess belly fat. Drinking water at regular intervals of the day also reduces the hunger you feel during the day between your meals. Multiple studies show that one should consume at least 2-3 litres of water every day. Drinking water before meals could keep you full, thus your body feels less hungry.

A group of Ottawa researchers is behind a new online tool that predicts one's risk of being diagnosed with dementia within five years. Stacey Fisher, the lead researcher of the project, developed the Dementia Calculator as part of her PhD. "Overall, we found that it actually works really well," she told CBC Radio's All In A Day last week. Every year, 76,000 new dementia cases are diagnosed in Canada, a number expected to increase as the po[CENSORED]tion ages. Pandemic isolation has sped up cognitive decline of loved ones, say caregivers Fisher said there are a number of factors that can influence whether someone is likely to develop dementia, including age, stress level, amount of exercise, pre-existing health conditions, history with smoking, ethnicity and even marital status. "The biggest one is age and there's nothing we can do about your age," she said. "And so what we really focus on is those lifestyle behaviours." It takes five to 10 minutes to use the calculator, which is currently open for those 55 or older. After the user describes his or her lifestyle, the calculator provides suggestions for mitigating one's risk, like quitting smoking. While no cure for dementia exists, approximately one third of cases are thought to be preventable. While the calculator was mostly developed while she lived in Ottawa, Fisher is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto and Public Health Ontario. It uses an algorithm, which Fisher also helped develop, that pulls from data provided by some 75,000 Ontarians who participated in Statistics Canada's Canadian Community Health Survey from 2002 to 2012. That data was linked to administrative health data to identify whether each respondent was diagnosed with dementia in the five years following the survey. Fisher said the researchers would like to keep improving the calculator — for instance, by allowing someone to provide details about their family history, a factor she said is a "big one" when it comes to determining dementia risk. A group of Ottawa researchers is behind a dementia calculator, which predicts one's risk of being diagnosed with dementia in the next five years and what people can do to reduce it. We talk to Stacey Fisher, the lead researcher of the project about how it works. 8:23 The Canadian Community Health Survey didn't collect that data, Fisher said, so they weren't able to include it as a risk factor. The underlying algorithm, she added, can be used by Statistics Canada and other policymakers to predict how many people could develop dementia Canada-wide. "[That's] important for surveillance, resource allocation, and just informing po[CENSORED]tion level prevention efforts," she said. "[We want] to better understand how different po[CENSORED]tions across the country, or different types of people, are affected by dementia."

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The worst of the heatwave is over, and the North Peace SPCA staff have been doing everything they can to keep animals cool. The task has been easier in the dog kennels than the cat facility, says Manager Candace Bucharmer. “The dog kennels, thankfully, are made of brick, which tends to stay a bit cooler. We’ve been able to manage the temperatures in there fairly easily with ice buckets, freezing food and treats, cooling their blankets, and allowing lots of dips in the doggy pool,” says Bucharmer. “Unfortunately, we’re quite high in cat numbers. Right now, we have 50 cats that we are trying to manage. We do have air conditioning in the cat facility, but with the overload of cats coming in due to heat exhaustion, heatstroke symptoms, and even just coming back from fosters without air conditioning, the physical body heat from everybody is keeping it warmer.” Even though the temperatures have dropped to more manageable levels, Bucharmer says nearby businesses have offered up their air-conditioned buildings for animals to cool down. “We moved some of the kittens to Pet Valu. I explained that we’re just so overwhelmed with animals that we literally have nowhere left to put them. They were awesome, and they stepped up big time for us. Three of our little adoptable kittens are down there, cooling off.” Bucharmer says, unfortunately, British Columbians still aren’t getting the message about leaving dogs in hot cars. “Provincially, there were over 5,500 calls for dogs left in hot cars. Our part-time officer and our new full-time officer have been running non-stop. They had over 100 calls come in, spread out over the last two days. It’s common sense, or it should be, that in these temperatures, you just don’t do it.” The North Peace SPCA branch is always in need of donations, says Bucharmer. “One of our freezers has broken down, so that was a big workload on the other freezer. We’re looking for baby scales because a lot of the animals we have right now are moms with litters of kittens. As we find a foster with a basement or A/C, we need to send those scales out to ensure that their weight is gaining and they’re staying healthy as they transition.” Bucharmer says the staff’s spirits have been buoyed by generous residents dropping off cool drinks and sweets. “Our office has been sitting at 36 to38 degrees Celsius on those hot days, so it’s exhausting by the time you leave. Having people come down with some surprises for us definitely helps lift the spirits and keep us going.”

Buyers have responded to record high car prices by borrowing more heavily and making larger down payments. From the fourth quarter to the second quarter, average new car prices rose 1.5% to $40,656, while used car prices rose 9.3% to $30,224, according to data released Thursday by Edmunds, a car-buying analytics company based in Santa Monica, Calif. Buyers are putting down about 12% on new and used cars, rates that have risen over the past year. To keep up with the steep increases in used cars, they’re borrowing more money for longer terms. Lower interest rates have helped a little. They averaged 7.9% for used cars in the second quarter, down 30 basis points from a year earlier and 20 bps from the first quarter. Still, monthly payments on used cars were $473 in the second quarter, up 14.8% from a year earlier and up 9.5% from the first quarter. Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights, said the market is tilting to the affluent. “This is not a buying environment for people on the fringe of being able to afford new car ownership,” Caldwell said. “Average loan terms are already quite long and interest rates are relatively low on average, so the consumer really has to make up the difference in price.” Tighter inventory and fewer discounts in the new car market are pushing more buyers into the used-car market, “driving used car prices to astronomical levels,” she said. “Car shoppers are used to getting deals, and often far below the sticker price for new, so anyone returning to the car market for the first time in a while is in for some serious sticker shock.” The slower growth in new car prices reflects a shift in the mix with more sales of lower-cost SUVs and passenger cars, and fewer beefy pickups. “Pricey, optioned-out pickup trucks have been the darling of consumers and the primary culprit in boosting the industry average transaction price during the pandemic, but the well of inventory has finally run dry,” Caldwell said. Cox Automotive has forecast dealers will sell 16.5 million new cars and light trucks this year. Senior economist Charlie Chesbrough said the pace of sales in the first half was a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 17.1 million vehicles, but the second half of the year will be slower. “Even though there will be strong demand from consumers, they can’t buy what isn’t there,” Chesbrough said. “How long the supply crunch will last is difficult to estimate since the issue varies greatly across product lines and geography, but certainly the next few months will be revealing.” Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for Cox Automotive, said tight supplies have allowed dealers to command high prices and make record profits. “As far as retail auto sales go, the pandemic is in the review mirror,” Smoke said. “Dealers are focused principally on one problem: Inventory.”

Blockchain Woos The Luxury Lifestyle Industry: Blockchain NFTs are making inroads to establish a dominant presence in the luxury and lifestyle fashion sector. Nevertheless, those inroads carry all the flaws of crypto along with it. In the last four months, Recently, I’ve received a tremendous amount of pitches relating to blockchain and NFT - with respect to fashion and related luxury and lifestyle industries. In fact, an abundant number of smart brands have adopted the tokenization of physical assets by developing NFT (non-fungible tokens) apparel and accessories -ripe for purchase. At first, I was hesitant to report on the subject in fear of tackling new unchartered territory. But soon thereafter, I decided to investigate further and obtain data on the subject. This story sheds light on where blockchain needs to improve, from Scams, KYC, and prevalent bot problems to be accepted and make a dent in the luxury lifestyle industry. You see, in the industry, sustainability has gone beyond mere wishes to absolute necessities for brands who wish to remain in business. According to stats by NielsonIQ, 73% of millennials and 66% of global consumers will rather purchase sustainable goods. Smart brands have adopted the tokenization of physical assets, demonstrating transparency by allowing customers to see where products are sourced from, using blockchain technology.It is somewhat incredible for Blockchain to create a sustainable practice for luxury lifestyle brands to track products (digital or physical) through its entire cycle. This incredible functionality made available by blockchain tech allows brands to properly hand off final product labelling as well as third party goods; giving producers in the supply chain a transparent view of the entire process. The Tesla Of Skincare Where Beauty Meets Technology How Millenials Are Changing Age-Long Traditions Of Luxury With Digital Technology The Perfect Balance: How Luxury Brands Can Maintain Exclusivity And Still Be Relatable Online Blockchain’s armory against cyber crimes: In short, every good endeavor comes with its downsides; there just has to be one bad egg in the basket. In this case that will be the issue of fraudsters and Ponzi schemes flooding cyberspace while simultaneously trying to paint the image of the Blockchain system. Research and data indicate that at least 25% of Blockchain users have fallen prey to hackers and fraudsters. More to the point, the fashion industry overall is all too familiar with newly developed schemes that can crush business. Thankfully, future-forward and innovative brands like Pointpay and Fair Token Project have deluded these abnormalities and each distinctively come up with highly effective and profitable ways of drastically reducing these scam stars and ensuring the integrity of the system is kept. Here is a statement made by a representative of the Fair Token Project in an interview to back up this claim: “An answer to one of the many scams that plague the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, The Fair Token Project's solution (FTPAntibot) is designed to capture front-running bots that scam investors and destroy projects. Contracts that deploy the Fair Token Project's FTPAntiBot will be able to identify malicious bots and prevent them from participating in trades. To put their solution to test, the FTPAntibot was deployed in one of the crypto projects, "Projekt Gold" and its effectiveness has secured the confidence of developers looking to create their contracts. This solution will give the NFT sector the much-needed armour required to take the luxury fashion and style sector to the next level using blockchain technology.” In a similar fashion, PointPay expresses the company’s intent to change the finance game and secure the DeFi system by employing higher levels of encryption. Andrei Sviatov, CEO of PointPay, explains how his team deals with them: “Beyond Banking” is an internationally known slogan by PointPay which reflects how our blockchain company is changing the world of crypto making security of users' funds the top priority in customer service. Cold storage of funds, strong military-grade encryption of private keys as well as internal monitoring systems keep fraudsters and hackers at arm's length.” Another major brand holding the fronts of Blockchain user security is Trust Swiftly - an identity verification software. The brand aims to "provide a central and dynamic platform for verification no matter the size or attacks faced." It provides advanced identity verification that allows users to Rapidly respond to threats with dynamic verification Uncover existing fraud and identify patterns of bad actors Also, it gives you global coverage allowing for growth without security compromises by taking a decentralized verification approach. This strategy is critical for crypto users looking to maintain their privacy online. Patrick Scanlan, CEO, and co-founder of Trust Swiftly, had this to say in an interview with Tech Times "Identity verification is a problem that is currently plaguing the digital world. Until we find the correct methods that work for everyone, we will continue to lose clientele. Nobody wants to be called every time they log in or transact, so we, as CEOs and business execs, need to offer viable alternatives that keep the customer happy. The idea behind Trust Swiftly's identification verification service is to allow faster customer access while still blocking fraud. Customers can choose between credit card verification, using voice biometrics, documentation, video ID checks, social account verification, using their bank accounts, and more. Customers can then self-identify to the matching parameters, saving your business the time and cost of doing the ID verification yourselves. Larger companies have a real problem with identity fraud. Trust Swiftly aims its services at those more prominent firms. If you turn away 1% or more of your transactions due to suspected identity fraud, additional verification measures can help you avoid lost time. Similarly, if you spend longer than an hour reviewing customers, this service will save both time and money."