Brazil singer Marilia Mendonca dies in plane crash

Marília Mendonça, one of Brazil's most popular contemporary singers, has been killed in a plane crash - officials say.

Four other people - her uncle, her producer and two crew members - also died in the accident in a rural area in south-eastern Minas Gerais state.

Brazil to require travellers from the U.S., Australia and Canada to have visas

Starting from Wednesday April 10, travellers holding passports from the United States, Australia, and Canada will be required to obtain a tourist visa to enter Brazil via air, land, or sea, as reported by Agencia Brasil.

Bringing Silicon Valley to the children of nearby farm workers

Marco Pizarro, a 19-year-old computer science major at Stanford University, is spreading his passion for coding to his peers in the agricultural community where he grew up. Pizarro hopes to build on the Harvest Hacks hackathon he held before the pandemic, in which 300 middle- and secondary-school students from California’s Salinas Valley spent the day coding and learning about opportunities in the high-tech industry.

Britain’s Got Talent judge, writer and comedian, David Walliams headlines the 14th Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022 in Dubai

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature kicked off its 14th year at a brand-new location in Al Habtoor City. The highlights include the return of children's author and comedian David Walliams to celebrate the 10th anniversary of one of his most iconic characters with a sequel -Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!. and his brilliant new book Megamonster

British Fishing Tackle & Bait Scales Order Fulfillment Processing 250% with Descartes Ecommerce WMS

Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that UK-based sports and hobbies retailer Fishing Tackle & Bait has successfully transformed its international fulfillment capabilities with Descartes’ cloud-based ecommerce warehouse management solution (WMS).

With Descartes, the multi-channel merchant scaled order processing capacity by 250% without adding labour.

British hospitality company expands its reach with spectacular new property in Chiang Mai

The highly anticipated opening of InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping in Chiang Mai's historic district marks the first milestone in a strategic partnership between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Thailand's leading integrated lifestyle real-estate group, Asset World Corporation (AWC).

British tech firm launches world’s first 5 in 1 secure health passport wallet

British technology company VST Enterprises has today confirmed it has developed the world’s first secure 5 In 1 digital health passport and wallet. V-Health Passport is a crucial ‘safe technology enabler’ in reviving global economies, home lives and helping Governments, business and industry to start returning to work and normality.

The cross border, cross corporation V-Health Passport can be used by international Governments, consumers and companies to authenticate a person’s true identity, their Covid test results and vaccinations. This ‘enabler’ allows them to prove their test and/or vaccination status. Uniquely the V-Health Passport has its own contact tracing capability using anonymised data, whilst also protecting citizen’s data and privacy with a concept in the vein of ‘self-sovereign identity’.

Manchester headquartered VSTE have innovated the V-Health Passport to be the most secure digital health passport and wallet in the world, but at the same time multi-functional and future proof to deal with all future pandemics ;

The V-Health Passport has 5 key ‘enabling’ features to its technology:

• Powered by the world’s most secure cyber security coding technology VCode® it is the world’s most secure ‘next generation’ code scanning technology using a closed loop system with end to end encryption and 2.2 Quintillion collision free codes (A VCode® can only exist once due to being encoded from a centralised system).

• V-Health Passport is a test agnostic system so it can record results from all global Covid testing manufacturers and protocols from PCR to rapid antigen and antibody testing. 

• V-Health Passport also has its own unique contact tracing capability ‘True Contact™’ built within the technology designed for travel, sports stadiums, venues, factories, offices and construction sites. 

• The ultra-secure platform can now also hold vaccination records of all the major vaccination manufacturers which will be crucial in a person validating they have been vaccinated, the vaccine type, batch, dosage and date.

• Uniquely V-Health Passport is the only health wallet and cross border platform in the world that is multi-functional and GDPR compliant. It allows acts like ‘self sovereign identity’, meaning a citizen’s personal data is protected and they choose what they want to share and with whom they want to interact or authorise.

But at the same time tech boss Louis-James Davis - CEO of VST Enterprises  warned of the potential dangers and reliance on using QR code scanning technology within any form of health passport for airline travel or entry into a venue or workplace which could lead to potential security breaches of personal data and information.

It follows the hack and breach earlier this year of the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot whose Quantas airline boarding card was hacked and details revealed including his passport number, mobile phone number and Qantas airline messages referring to the former PM.

Louis-James Davis went on to state that both bar codes and QR codes - which represent first and second generation technology - are unsecure and vulnerable to hacking. 

“QR codes were originally developed as a scanning technology for close proximity car parts tracking, a world away from Identity and banking use cases and now digital health passports. It was then used to skip the input of websites in marketing and promotional purposes. They were simply never designed with security or privacy in mind… they are simply not fit for purpose and should not be used at all in any form for delivery of sensitive information, travel or event tickets or health passport. QR codes can be subject to a process called ‘Attagging or ‘cloning.’  Louis-James Davis said.

Davis also warned that the public will not tolerate breaches of their personal data and information along with their already existing and heightened concerns over privacy during the pandemic.  He continued;

“Attagging is where a ‘genuine QR code’ is replaced by a ‘cloned QR code’ which then redirects the person scanning that code to a similar website where personal data can be intercepted and breached.

“The problem is that serious that in India alone there are over 1 billion fraudulent financial transactions each day using QR codes. As the scanning user journey is the same, it is only tech savvy individuals that may notice the domain name has changed.”

As reported by a recent Forbes Magazine investigation, it is predicted that over 11 Million households in the US alone will scan a QR code this year and the majority of them, some 71% of people who have interacted with a QR code will not know if it is the start of a malicious hack. It is envisaged that over 5.3 Billion QR codes will be redeemed this year making it one of the fastest growing tech scanning interactions and also posing one of the greatest cyber threats.

QR codes can be cloned and redirected to other information points or websites. Often criminals and hackers will exploit this by putting a fake QR code over a genuine QR code. So a QR code for example on scanning would link to the genuine website at: www.similardomain.com  but a fake QR code can be made up printed off and placed over the genuine code to redirect to www.similar-domain.com at this point the member of the public is tricked into entering their personal information, private data and financial information. The rogue website looks and feels exactly like the genuine one and is made to mirror it precisely.

VCode which is the ultra-secure digital code which powers the V-Health Passport cannot be cloned. Even if it was printed off, or a photograph was taken and placed over a VCode® or V-Health Passport it simply won’t scan as it works on a call and response system of information between the code and web platform to verify location of the code, user ID and time and date and much more.” 

Louis-James Davis said; “We developed and built the V-Health Passport and health wallet to be the most secure technology on the planet that you could use as a health passport where you could combine your test status, vaccination record, boarding pass, airline ticket, music or sports ticket all in one app.

“With V-Health Passport we wanted to provide functionality and greater mobility to allow citizens to return to work, be fit to fly or return to the sports stadiums. But at the heart of the technology was the ability to protect and respect data privacy of the individual.

“The lack of engagement and interaction by the public with Government track and trace app/s over the pandemic was over privacy, security of data and the tracking of a person’s live location. This is why we have built a unique system in the vein of ‘Self Sovereign ID’ with the ethics of privacy & security by design. The V-Health Passport puts the citizen in control in a way which they share information with who, when and where.”

By having a technology health wallet which confirms your Covid test status and your vaccination record/s it then becomes a ‘safe technology enabler’ to assist Governments, companies, consumers and organisations to resume greater mobility and returning life back to normality. But critically this technology will help revive and restore economic prosperity.

V-Health Passport will help employers safely return their employees back to their offices, factories and warehouses. It will facilitate airlines to allow their passengers to be fit to fly and avoid the need for quarantine restrictions. At the same time it will ensure their airline ticket or boarding pass is secure and won’t be hacked.

V-Health Passport will allow sports fans to return to the stadiums at capacity and not at the current socially distanced crowd protocols of 2000 fans. It will help get the hospitality sector back on its feet welcoming customers back. Because of the way V-Health Passport™ is designed - based on interaction and incentive - the hospitality sector can engage with unique offerings and discounts to its customers. 

V-Health Passport will help the live music and entertainment sectors resume their concerts and performances in arenas, stadiums and theatres. They will be safe in the knowledge that fans have either been tested or vaccinated and can authenticate their status. 

A citizen will be able to share their health pass and confirm their Covid test status, or present their vaccination record. They will also be able to show their credit score, work permit or visa, scan their travel or event pass. 

At the heart of each interaction they will have peace of mind that their data and information is highly secure and ultimately, they control who sees what, who scans what, where and when. 

BritJam receives Citation from the Jamaica High Commission

BritJam UK, and Khori Hyde, it's founder, has been presented a citation by Seth George Ramocan CD, Jamaica High Commissioner to the UK at the Jamaica High Commission in London, UK.

BritJam is the number 1 international Spring Music event in the Caribbean. It infuses British/American culture with the Jamaican culture and turns it into a week of unbelievable fun where thousands of participants from the United Kingdom, Europe, USA and the Caribbean come together in famous tourist locations in Jamaica.

Starting in 2010, their first festival attracted 200 attendees from the UK, 85 from the USA and 35 from three Caribbean islands (Nassau, Cayman and Antigua) and had a combined total of 15,890 local and international patrons attended the festival over the week.

Over the years the numbers continue to grow by the hundreds and to date, we have experienced approximately 750% growth which translates in over $200,000USD in the local market place and $1,000,000USD total value creation per staging since 2015

The citation from the High Commissioner reads as follows:

“Presented to BritJam UK on the occasion of its 10^th anniversary of establishment.

I commend Mr. Khori Hyde, Founder, the Executive, members and friends of BritJam UK for their dedication over the years creating opportunities to promote tourism as well as strengthen cultural connections and empower young people of Jamaican heritage within the United Kingdom, to stay connected to their roots and culture. The organization has also played a key role in building and maintaining strong links between Jamaica and the second, third and fourth generations across the United Kingdom.

Congratulations and God’s richest blessings in the years ahead!”

As BritJam continues to push the brand as an authentic connector and cultural enabler, it is only fitting that the UK will see a homecoming event dubbed 'BritJam Live'. This will be held on 2 January 2022 at world famous Troxy in London.

With the continued support of launch event partner, Victoria Mutual Group (UK), they are then focusing on celebrating Jamaica 60 in the motherland of Africa - 1 week, 3 cities.

Ghana has been selected as its first destination on the continent and the brand BRITJAM is celebrating its 10th Anniversary experiencing significant growth year on year from 15-22 August 2022.

As the festival continues to attract millennials, with readily available disposable income, they treasure our festival as a best kept secret and return with others of similar interests each year.

BRP lands $378M for resi project in Jamaica

BRP Companies has broken ground on yet another Jamaica apartment complex after securing funding from Tammy Jones’ Basis Investment Group.

The development firm co-founded by Meredith Marshall and Geoff Flournoy landed $378 million in construction financing led by Basis for a 614-unit residential building at 90-02 168th Street in the Queens neighbourhood.

Brummie women distribute toys to young earthquake victims in Turkey to mark Eid festivities

A group of women from Birmingham have visited Turkey (Türkiye) this week to help child refugees following the devastating earthquake in the region earlier this year.

The delegation fundraised thousands of pounds in Birmingham before taking the donations directly to displaced families living in refugee camps in the Turkish south-central city of Gaziantep, where they distributed money and toys to those in need.

Buhari at UNGA: Focus on issues not Yoruba Nation, IPOB Presidency to media

As President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the presidency has appealed to the Nigerian media to focus on issues, not Yoruba Nation and Biafra revolutionaries.

In a statement on Wednesday, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu said it was shocking to see Yoruba Nation advocates throw their lot in with Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at the start of UNGA on Tuesday.

Buhari plan to turn to Glasgow to seek more power scuppered by COVID-19

After inviting President Muhammadu Buhari to this year’s COP26 climate change summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was said to be hugely disappointed after it had to be cancelled due to the worldwide coronavirus epidemic.

He (Johnson) was very interested in investing Nigeria’s clean energy sector after the UK won the bid to host COP26 (the 26^th Conference of the Parties) having entered into a partnership with European counterparts Italy.

A United Nations environmental gathering, which was set to take place in Glasgow, in Scotland, later this year, it was designed to produce a worldwide response to the climate emergency

After winning the hosting bid, the UK was set to hold the main COP26 summit, with – as part of the agreement - Italy due to hold preparatory event; which includes a youth event.

Prime Minister Johnson’s invited President Buhari follows the recent UK-Africa Investment Summit, in London.

The UK’s nominated COP26 president, Claire Perry, said: “The world’s leaders were due to gather to discuss how we can tackle the climate change on a global scale.

“And, with it being one of the UK’s most sustainable cities, there was nowhere better than Glasgow – with its great track record for hosting highly successful, high-profile international events like this”.

Currently, Nigeria’s’ gross power supply is generating just over 7,000MW – way below the much-required 40,000MW required for the general, every day needs of the country.

The west-African country is, however, leading the way into movements to introduce cleaner energy, as they are encouraged to look into wind, solar and recycled waste although getting investment to pursuit those lines is said to be a big struggle.

With it being the largest in the world, the United Kingdom’s total off-shore wind power capacity stands at 8,183MW – a third of Europe’s total off-shore resource.

It equates to three-times the UK’s electricity needs.

On-shore, the UK’s total number for wind turbine power equals 13,532MW.

In excess of 30,000 delegates were expected at the Scottish Events Campus for the 26^th Conference of the Parties.

With CO26 now postponed, revised plans will be set out to reschedule COP26.

Building a better future for Africa’s farmers

Farmers worldwide face increasingly unpredictable weather, but in Africa, where the U.N. estimates 282 million people don’t have enough food, more severe flooding and drought threaten to make a dire situation worse.

Building better catalysts to close the carbon dioxide loop

The best way to stave off the worst effects of climate change is to reduce CO2 emissions around the world. And one way to do that, says Zhongwei Chen, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, is to capture the CO2 and convert it into other useful chemicals, such as methanol and methane for fuels.

Stopping emissions at the source, and further reducing future ones by replacing CO2-producing fuels with cleaner ones “…is a way to close the circle,” Chen says.

Bulat Utemuratov Foundation donates $1.5 million in aid to support victims of severe flooding

On April 1, the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation donated $1.5 million to help the victims of severe flooding across 12 regions of Kazakhstan.

Bulat Utemuratov Foundation marks another successful year with prestigious philanthropy award

The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation has completed another successful year with Bulat Utemuratov, the organisation's founder, recently named Philanthropist of the Year 2023 by the Kazakhstan Growth Forum.

BVB players memorialise children killed in the Holocaust during San Diego event

 The World Jewish Congress, as part of its work with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund to fight antisemitism and promote Jewish life, praised the team for participating Friday in a project at the San Diego Jewish Academy that memorializes children killed in the Holocaust. The German soccer club, commonly known as BVB, had trained for much of last week on the grounds of the San Diego Jewish Academy, as part of its U.S. tour. 

Cabinet reshuffle could signal increase in Australian meat imports - Scottish and Welsh farmers will be most affected

A cabinet reshuffle this week may signal a post-Brexit increase in Australian meat imports to the UK, as advocated for by Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Minister of State Lord Frost. However farming communities in Scotland and Wales stand to be affected most by such a decision, a leading academic has said.

Birmingham City University political economist Professor Alex de Ruyter commented on the UK’s ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) discussions with Australia, raising questions about the removal or lowering of tariffs around, and quality of, food imported from Australia.

“Politically it is clear that there is a huge cabinet split between different Brexiteer groups. On one side, Michael Gove and George Eustice both favour limiting imports of Australian meat whilst on the other Liz Truss and Lord Frost favour more complete trade liberalisation. Now that Mr Johnson has come down on the side of an FTA with Australia it looks like Truss and Frost have won the arguments over their Cabinet opponents.

“Truss in particular wants an outline agreement ready in time for the G7 meeting next month. Many would argue that this aggressive timeline puts unnecessary pressure on the UK to compromise. However, there is no real need to move so quickly. Details (especially over standards) are important. The gains from liberalised trade with Australia are likely to be very small overall.

“Many would favour lower food prices for consumers. However, there are a few complicating factors. Australian food standards are different to British ones. Practices that are unacceptable here are quite widespread e.g. the use of growth hormones in cattle. There are environmental questions over the sustainability of present levels of meat consumption (especially red meat) in general and of Australian agriculture in particular.

“The farming communities that would be affected are overwhelmingly concentrated in Scotland and Wales. Liberalisation (even if both countries would gain in aggregate) would provide another stick with which Mr Johnson’s Nationalist opponents could beat an “out of touch Westminster”.

“If (and it remains a large if) any trade deal allowed food with different sanitary and phytosanitary standards from our current ones to enter the UK then that could dramatically complicate longer-term efforts to reduce frictions in the border in the Irish Sea.

“The impending cabinet reshuffle will give a further indication as to Johnson’s medium-term plans in this regard amid rumours that Eustice might be moved.”

Caesars next Las Vegas cyberattack victim

It was reported within the past 24 hours that Caesar Entertainment joined the ranks of MGM Resorts International as the next cyberattack target in Las Vegas.

Unlike MGM, the casino and online operations were not affected, but their Loyalty members were affected by the cyberattack. Caesars told the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) that it could not guarantee that personal information from its tens of millions of Loyalty members was secure.

The Las Vegas data breach which happened on September 7 but was not made known to the public until now, revealed member US Social Security number as well as driver’s license numbers. It was reported that Caesars paid a US$15 million ransom to the cybercrime group that infiltrated its database system and made the demand.

The demand was for US$30 million. This is called a “pinky promise” although there is no way to tell if the hackers actually do delete the stolen information once they receive the ransom payment.

The highest ransom ever paid by a company for a cyberattack is believed to be US$40 million. It was dished out by CNA financial, an insurance company in 2021.

Calls made to African Union leadership for systemic change to stem worsening climate crisis

In the lead up to COP27, the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Egypt in November, over 700 youth from twenty-one African countries have signed a joint open letter calling on the leadership of the African Union (AU) to prioritize systemic change in the face of the worsening climate crisis.