#Latest Business Law News in Germany

[coochiequeens]

Countries that ban commercial surrogacy but allow altruistic surrogacy are by default allowing would be reproductive purchasers to guilt trip young women into inconveniencing herself for over a year when they could look into adopting.

MAY 31, 2024 - 1:10PM

Ireland has mummy issues. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the upcoming Assisted Human Reproduction Bill. The proposed legislation, which passed through the Dáil on Wednesday, would allow those who have been resident in Ireland for two years to hire women from a list of approved countries to serve as surrogates, gestating and giving birth to babies who will then be handed over to them.

The main body of the bill concerns the licensing of agencies engaged in international surrogacy and the establishment of new legal frameworks. So-called “intended parents” will have legal rights, even where the baby is born abroad, provided the child has a “genetic link to at least one” of them.

While the ban on commercial surrogacy remains in place, a “reasonable sum” can be offered, and it seems entirely likely this will open the door to pregnancy-as-employment. For example, legitimate expenses will include the loss of income by the surrogate mother for up to one year and the salary of a cleaner for the duration of the pregnancy. There are a range of safeguards in place to ensure that prospective surrogate mothers are not exploited, but whether these will be respected in jurisdictions outside Ireland remains questionable.

With fertility rates plummeting across the world, the baby-making business is set to boom; in 2022 the surrogacy industry was valued at $14 billion. Given the swelling commercial clout, it seems likely smaller countries will cave to domestic and international pressure by loosening laws.

The Irish bill will bring the country closer to the UK, which allows for altruistic surrogacy. Notably, while Russia and Ukraine have lax laws and effectively allow surrogate mothers to be paid, all forms of the practice are outlawed across much of Europe, including Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

Many of the bill’s proponents have heralded it as marking progress toward equality between same-sex and opposite-sex couples, toward a forward-looking Ireland free from the scandals of its Catholic past.

The bill’s righteous and progressive aims were cemented in January when the Pope called surrogacy “a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.” “A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,” he added.

Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, Alan Farrell TD, swelled with pride during a debate on the bill as he reflected: “We have seen dramatic changes in women’s rights and LGBT rights in Ireland, led by the public and pursued by the Government. This bill is the latest where successive governments have sought to build on that progress and deliver real change that reflects more understanding and an equal country.”

A spokesperson from the LGB rights group “Not All Gays” told me that opposition to the legislation has been framed as “anti-LGBTQIA”. “When will they stop weaponising LGB’s struggles and genuine homophobia to push for ethically dubious laws that could be plucked straight out of Gilead?” she asked. “We are not your shield to be used to silence reasonable debate or opposition to laws that seek to erode the rights and civil liberties.”

Just as with the dissolution of women’s rights at the hands of trans activists, this most recent threat to women’s dignity, health and happiness has come cloaked in the rainbow flag. But in reality, it signifies nothing more than a social shift toward the commercialisation of women’s bodies.

It is a triumph of market forces, of the state-sanctioned use of wombs for the production of a designer accessory. Provided the mother meets the minimum requirements, couples and individuals who have commissioned babies will be able to pose with them for Instagram snaps as soon as the mother has given birth.

The bill will probably pass into law, and Ireland will become a land where virgins may indeed become mothers. It is conceivable that future generations will look back on the period of legalised surrogacy with horror as we now do the brutal homes where unmarried mothers had their infants ripped from their care.

Josephine Bartosch is a freelance writer and assistant editor at The Critic.

In the meantime

[mariacallous]

Nasir Mansoor has spent 40 years fighting for Pakistan’s workers. Whether demanding compensation on behalf of the hundreds of people who died in a devastating 2012 factory fire in Karachi or demonstrating against Pakistani suppliers to global fashion brands violating minimum wage rules, he’s battled many of the country’s widespread labor injustices.

Yet so far, little has improved, said Mansoor, who heads Pakistan’s National Trade Union Federation in Karachi. Despite spending most of his time dealing with issues in the country’s garment sector, labor laws are still routinely flouted inside factories. Not even European Union trade schemes such as the Generalized Scheme of Preferences—which benefits developing countries such as Pakistan but requires them to comply with international conventions on labor rights—have helped curb violations in an industry notorious for them. Regulations and trade protocols look good on paper, but they rarely trickle down to the factory level. “Nobody cares,” Mansoor said. “Not the government who makes commitments, not the brands, and not the suppliers. The workers are suffering.”

But change might finally be on the horizon after Germany’s new Supply Chain Act came into force last year. As Europe’s largest economy and importer of clothing, Germany now requires certain companies to put risk-management systems in place to prevent, minimize, and eliminate human rights violations for workers across their entire global value chains. Signed into law by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in January 2023, the law covers issues such as forced labor, union-busting, and inadequate wages, for the first time giving legal power to protections that were previously based on voluntary commitments. Companies that violate the rules face fines of up to 8 million euros ($8.7 million).

For decades, Western companies based in countries with highly paid workers and strong labor protections have sourced from low-income countries where such laws don’t exist or are weakly enforced. While this business model cuts costs, it’s made it incredibly difficult for workers to seek justice when problems arise. Given the garment sector’s long history of poor labor conditions—whose victims are a predominantly female workforce—rights groups say the industry will feel some of the highest impacts of new due diligence laws such as Germany’s.

Until now, promises made by fashion brands to safeguard workers stitching clothes in factories around the world have been largely voluntary and poorly monitored. If the promises failed or fell short and that information became public, the main fallout was reputational damage. As governments come to realize that a purely voluntary regimen produces limited results, there is now a growing global movement to ensure that companies are legally required to protect the people working at all stages of their supply chains.

The German law is just the latest example of these new due diligence rules—and it’s the one with the highest impact, given the size of the country’s market. A number of other Western countries have also adopted similar legislation in recent years, including France and Norway. A landmark European Union law that would mandate all member states to implement similar regulation is in the final stages of being greenlighted.

Although the United States has legislation to prevent forced labor in its global supply chains, such as the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, there are no federal laws that protect workers in other countries from abuses that fall short of forced labor. That said, a proposed New York state bill, the Fashion Act, would legally require most major U.S. and international brands to identify, prevent, and remediate human rights violations in their supply chain if passed, with noncompliance subject to fines. Since major fashion brands could hardly avoid selling their products in New York, the law would effectively put the United States on a similar legal level as Germany and France.

Abuses in textile manufacturing have been well documented. Horror stories about brutal violence or building collapses make the news when there’s a major incident, but every day, members of a predominantly female workforce live on low wages, work long hours, and endure irregular contracts. Trade unions, when they are allowed, are often unable to protect workers. A decade ago, the European Parliament described the conditions of garment workers in Asia as “slave labour.”

As of January, Germany’s new law applies to any company with at least 1,000 employees in the country, which covers many of the world’s best-known fast fashion retailers, such as Zara and Primark. Since last January, German authorities say they have received 71 complaints or notices of violations and conducted 650 of their own assessments, including evaluating companies’ risk management.

In Pakistan, the very existence of the German law was enough to spark action. Last year, Mansoor and other union representatives reached out to fashion brands that sourced some of their clothing in Pakistan to raise concerns about severe labor violations in garment factories. Just four months later, he and his colleagues found themselves in face-to-face meetings with several of those brands—a first in his 40-year career. “This is a big achievement,” he said. “Otherwise, [the brands] never sit with us. Even when the workers died in the factory fire, the brand never sat with us.”

Nearly 12 years on from the 2012 fire, which killed more than 250 people, violations are still rife for Pakistan’s 4.4 million garment sector workers, who produce for many of the major global brands. Several of these violations were highlighted in research conducted by FEMNET, a German women’s rights nonprofit, and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), a Berlin-based nongovernmental organization, into how companies covered by the Supply Chain Act were implementing their due diligence obligations in Pakistan. With the help of Mansoor and Zehra Khan, the general secretary of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, interviews with more than 350 garment workers revealed the severity of long-known issues.

Nearly all workers interviewed were paid less than a living wage, which was 67,200 Pakistan rupees (roughly $243) per month in 2022, according to the Asia Floor Wage Alliance. Nearly 30 percent were even paid below the legal minimum wage of 25,000 Pakistani rupees per month (roughly $90) for unskilled workers. Almost 100 percent had not been given a written employment contract, while more than three-quarters were either not registered with the social security system—a legal requirement—or didn’t know if they were.

When Mansoor, Khan, and some of the organizations raised the violations with seven global fashion brands implicated, they were pleasantly surprised. One German retailer reacted swiftly, asking its supplier where the violations had occurred to sign a 14-point memorandum of understanding to address the issues. (We’re unable to name the companies involved because negotiations are ongoing.) The factory complied, agreeing to respect minimum wages and provide contract letters, training on labor laws, and—for the first time—worker bonuses.

In February, the factory registered an additional 400 workers with the social security system (up from roughly 100) and will continue to enroll more, according to Khan. “That is a huge number for us,” she said.

It’s had a knock-on effect, too. Four of the German brand’s other Pakistani suppliers are also willing to sign the memorandum, Khan noted, which could impact another 2,000 workers or so. “The law is opening up space for [the unions] to negotiate, to be heard, and to be taken seriously,” said Miriam Saage-Maass, the legal director at ECCHR.

After decades of issues being swept under the carpet, it’s a positive step, Mansoor said. But he’s cautious. Of the six remaining global fashion brands contacted, three are in discussions with the union, while three didn’t respond. Implementation is key, he said, particularly because there has already been pushback from some Pakistani factory owners.

Last month, EU member states finally approved a due diligence directive after long delays, during which the original draft was watered down. As it moves to the next stage—a vote in the European Parliament—before taking effect, critics argue that the rules are now too diluted and cover too few companies to be truly effective.

Still, the fact that the EU is acting at all has been described as an important moment, and unionists such as Mansoor and Khan wait thousands of miles away with bated breath for the final outcome. Solidarity from Europe is important, Khan said, and could change the lives of Pakistan’s workers. “The eyes and the ears of the people are looking to [the brands],” Mansoor said. “And they are being made accountable for their mistakes.”

[zee-man-chatter]

Putin has Been a Problem for Forty Years? No, It is Joe Biden.

11 June 2024 by Larry Johnson 17 Comments

I am not surprised anymore when Joe “Alzheimers” Biden drifts off into his imaginary universe, but it is still jarring to witness. Check out the 2:40 mark in the following video. Biden claims he has known Putin for forty years. I am not a math whiz, but that would mean Senator Biden was meeting a low level newly minted KGB officer in Dresden, Germany. I call bullshit. And how exactly was Putin a problem? He did not come to prominence until Boris Yeltsin tagged Vladimir as his successor.

The latest Biden gaffe is just one more sign that Biden has the mental agility of a wooden horse, and he appears to get worse with each passing day. Which raises the broader question — will he actually be competent to run against Trump? I have some well-connected friends who insist that there was a meeting in New York City two years ago, where Michelle Obama was persuaded to replace Biden as the Democrat nominee when Biden resigns the office prior to the Democrat convention this summer.

But, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich makes a persuasive argument that Mrs. Obama is not willing to give up the sweet life of living on beaches in New York and Hawaii to take on the job of becoming a Presidential piñata. I side with Newt in this case.

The crucial point is that the mainstream media is starting to present the meme of Biden’s fading mental faculties and preparing the political battlefield for him being replaced before the November election. I think the odds are high that Vice President Kamala Harris will finish out Biden’s term. Biden’s mental confusion will only get worse and he will be under more stress, beyond the normal Presidential duties, as Hunter Biden’s tax evasion case heads to court in September. In light of Hunter’s conviction for violating a Federal law when he lied on his application to buy a gun, I suspect that the Biden team will put pressure on Hunter to enter a plea deal rather than risk airing all of Joe Biden’s shady business dealings during the final months of the Presidential campaign.

So that is the first binary issue — will Biden be able to run and survive to election day or will he be replaced? Second, if he is replaced, will Kamala Harris hang on to become the Democrat nominee or will it be someone else, like Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton?

Now, as the domestic political drama unfolds in the Banana Republic known as the United States of America, I think international events will become the determinative variable. I will present three scenarios and ask you to weigh in on which you think is the most likely.

Scenario 1 — The United States and some NATO countries directly intervene in the war in Ukraine and attack Russia. Russia retaliates by striking military bases and key infrastructure in Europe and the United States with conventional weapons. The West will confront the choice — back down or escalate with nuclear weapons. In either case, there is no election in the United States.

Scenario 2 — Ukraine’s military collapses and Zelensky is ousted in a coup before the end of August. The West is stunned, but unwilling to escalate and go to war with Russia. This is viewed by most of the American electorate as a Biden debacle, which further boosts Donald Trump’s chances for victory in November.

Scenario 3 — Israel launches an offensive into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah and suffers major losses. As a result of the Israeli operation, Iraq and Turkey send forces to assist Hezbollah. The Biden Administration faces enormous domestic pressure to intervene and come to Israel’s aid by carrying out air strikes in Lebanon and Syria.

I am presenting only general scenarios. I wanted to give you the chance to riff off of these and provide your own speculation. I am certain of one thing — the next four months leading up to the Presidential election in the United States will be the most dangerous, perilous time in my life, and I’m pushing 70 years.

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS, RESOURCES AND STUDIES, EARLY JULY 2023

As expected when I posted the recent Etsy and SEO news update in June, I didn't get much time during my road trip to work on the other portion. So here it is, covering ecommerce sites, social media, content marketing and lots of other things small and microbusinesses might need to know.

I've also updated my Tumblr theme to make it easier to read and more accessible overall. Please let me know what you think!

Finally, the next update will be out in a few weeks, and will contain everything together in one post again. If you don't want to wait for it, follow me on Twitter or on LinkedIn for more timely news.

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta)

You can now pay for a verified Meta account, and unlike Twitter, they actually verify your ID. 

Speaking of Twitter, Meta’s copycat app Threads took off rapidly, hitting over 100 million signups in the first week. 

If you have a Facebook or Instagram Shop, note that many countries will need to use Meta’s checkout as of April 24 2023.  While the US is one of those countries, the following places will not have to change anything at this moment: “Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. and Ukraine”.

Wonder how Facebook ranks posts these days? Search Engine Land covered the topic for you. 

Meta is pulling all news content in Canada after a new law passed that makes platforms pay media sources for their content. Google followed. 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn recently changed its algorithm, and is giving more weight to people you follow, and to “knowledge and advice”.

Make sure you are using LinkedIn content analytics to see how your posts are performing. The company released some tips on how to get more views and interaction on your ads and posts. 

Pinterest

Pinterest is introducing Amazon ads that lead directly to Amazon so browsers can buy there. This is expected to take a few years to fully roll out. 

The Shuffles feature is particularly popular with Generation Z women. 

Reddit

Yes, you can use Reddit to promote your business, but it is tricky. “It’s perfectly fine to be a Redditor with a website; it’s not okay to be a website with a Reddit account.”

TikTok

TikTok is selling its own products through the app, called “Trendy Beat", although this is only happening in the UK so far. The items seemed to be based on trending videos. 

TIkTok is the latest to test searching by image, in its Shop feature. 

Twitter

The Twitter algorithm now promotes Elon Musk’s tweets above all others. Yes, really. 

YouTube

YouTube ended Stories on June 26, but plans on doing more with Shorts in the future. 

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS (minus social media)

General

Handmade alternative marketplace Artisans Cooperative has settled on its organisational structure now that they are moving forward with incorporating the co-op, and enrolling new members. Check their blog for all announcements on their plans. 

A new California initiative involves both ecommerce and brick and mortar businesses to help track down stolen items. Each site agrees to “assign staff and tools—dedicate webpage, online portal, or point of contact—to address concerns of theft that come in from retails or law enforcement, and to monitor listings “to affirmatively prevent and detect” organized crime.”

50% of online shopping trips start at Amazon, amazingly enough. Google comes in second. After peaking last year, TikTok’s share of product searches has dropped. 

Many merchants are reconsidering their return policies, and even free shipping. 

Amazon

Some Amazon sellers had huge issues with verifying their information to comply with the INFORM Act. The deadline for completing verification was July 7, after which Amazon will place a hold on all payments. 

Amazon will now charge US buyers for returns to UPS stores. 

Many backpacks made for adults were removed from Amazon automatically, and sellers were told they needed to show proof the packs had met children’s safety standards. 

BigCommerce

BigCommerce has followed Shopify in raising fees for the same amount, although existing users didn’t see the increase until June 1. As with Shopify, site owners can keep their current rate by opting for the annual package. 

eBay

If you are worried about eBay showing your home address to prospective buyers (due to the INFORM Act), you can apply for an exception. 

Ebay international shipping is available to US-based stores now, but there are a lot of complaints. Other recent eBay announcements and plans are discussed here in coverage of the summer Seller Update. 

Sales on eBay continue to drop, as do buyers. Here’s coverage of the 4th quarter report written for sellers, and the 1st quarter 2023.

eBay is now offering Canadian collectible sellers a new “Expedited Lite” Canada Post rate that costs as little as $5.85 to send 200 grams from Toronto to Yellowknife. Tracking and $100 insurance are included. [Attention other platforms - Canadians need these cheap rates!]

Poshmark

Poshmark now operates in the United Kingdom. 

Poshmark joined the vast majority of large ecommerce sites in the past year by laying off employees, although the reported numbers were just 2% of the workforce. 

Shopify 

After making big moves to enter the fulfillment market, Shopify sold off the logistics network to Flexport, which it will continue to work with, as well as owning 13% of Flexport’s stock. 

Shopify is resisting a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) request for 6 years of tax records for 121,000 stores. Note that the CRA must get a judge to approve such a request, which they filed for in April 2023. 

Shopify managed to beat the market estimates for the 4th quarter 2022, but predicts growth will continue to slow

There are ways to make your Shopify site more accessible for various disabilities; for some larger merchants, this is a legal requirement.

All Other Marketplaces

Bonanza is trying to improve its shipping label options, with the first step being decreasing the cost of USPS labels. It also now has a synced eBay importer, and is expanding its loan program to more sellers. 

Michael's has finally opened its maker supply online marketplace to third-party sellers. While this initial group of merchants was invited, the company is now accepting applications from experienced ecommerce merchants. Fees are a flat 15% commission, so no monthly subscriptions, listing fees or even payment processing fees (apparently). There is also a Shipstation integration. This could be a good channel for high-volume supply sellers who make/design their own products, especially if they work in a niche Michael’s doesn’t already service. Note that their makers website that would compete directly with Etsy is now taking a waitlist. 

Kohl’s opened a third-party marketplace, which includes their loyalty program benefits for buyers. 

All Other Website Builders

Squarespace bought Google Domains, but Google is still a domain registrar, and this should not affect your Google rankings. 

Payment Processing

Apple is very late to the buy-now-pay-later game, introducing Apple Pay Later for some users. 

Shipping

There is a UPS strike looming; the union contract expires August 1. This could not only affect businesses who ship products via UPS, but also those of us who order supplies etc. 

Also note that the port workers in British Columbia are on strike as of July 1. “Analysts have said a strike could have a significant impact on worldwide shipping and the Canadian economy. According to the Maritime Employers Association's website, its members contribute $2.7 billion to the national GDP and handled roughly 16 per cent of Canada's total traded goods worth $180 billion in 2020.”

Chinese ecommerce businesses could lose their US tariff exemption, which allows companies in China to ship to the US cheaply. The bill is not yet law. 

USPS raised stamp prices and combined several services into the new USPS Ground Advantage plan, as of July 9.

(CONTENT) MARKETING (includes blogging, emails, and strategies) 

Is your small business making some common content marketing mistakes? 5 frequent errors and their solutions. 

Email welcome pages are a good way to increase sales from your list. “Imagine a shopper subscribes and is sent immediately to a page that, first, shares the discount code and, second, includes a short (30-second) welcome video that explains how to apply the code — without having to check email.”

ONLINE ADVERTISING (NOT SOCIAL MEDIA OR ECOMMERCE SITES)

Advertising through “retail media” (such as Amazon) will probably be greater than television ad revenue by 2028. “Retailers from Amazon, Walmart and Target to grocers such as Carrefour, Ahold Delhaize, Tesco and Sainsbury's are working aggressively to attract big advertisers to their websites” which could constitute more than 15% of all advertising spend by 2028.

Google’s Merchant Center will be getting easier to use next year, with the introduction of Merchant Center Next. Looks like complicated product feeds will be a thing of the past. 

Google Ads users are encouraged to import the conversion info from Google Analytics 4, to potentially improve ad performance. 

STATS, DATA, TRACKING 

Many sites are incorrectly reporting visits as direct when they actually come from sources such as social media; here’s a study showing how that can break down. 

Google’s latest instructions for migrating from Google’s Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 even includes videos. If you don’t like Google’s explanation, here is another good tutorial [video and transcript] And here is a detailed outline of how to track organic search traffic in GA4, and how to set up site search.  Don’t worry if you haven’t migrated your account yet - although it will not collect new data starting some time after July 1, 2023, Google will transition the account to GA4 for you, and will also let you download your old Universal Analytics data for the next year. If you didn’t update to GA4 yourself, you are in the majority of website owners. 

Once you do start with GA4, make sure to connect with the Search Console and activate reports. There are also some reports you cannot get with GA4, but this article explains what you can come close to replicating from the old version. 

You can now move all of your Google Search Console data into Google’s BigQuery, which is great for really large sites. If you struggle to digest the info provided by Google Search Console, then you might be interested in a few integrations to make things easier. Some are even free! 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

How to answer common buyer questions to make purchasing easier (and more likely!)

Generation Z (born from 1997 to 2012) uses social media differently than other age groups, and that affects how you can market to them. Check out the different values and behaviours they have as a group. 

Many sole proprietorships struggle with how to deal with demanding customers. Maybe you should fire them instead? [Twitter thread] Example: “Bad Clients are “un-leveragable”. You cannot

Learn from them

Use them as references

Earn a good margin to fuel your biz

Factor the intangibles when calculating your ROI. Not everything that counts can be counted.”

Consumers are always changing how they shop and buy; here’s some data from the end of last year, explaining that buying through social media is slowly growing, among other points. Also, “42% of consumers have chosen a product based on it being made by a small business in the last three months, up 8% from May 2022.” Hubspot also released more data on the social media angle of the research, giving reasons why some buyers are still hesitant. 

US ecommerce sales were up 3% in the first 3 months of 2023. The total was $272.6 billion.

IMAGES, VIDEO, GRAPHIC DESIGN, & FREE ONLINE TOOLS

Need new icons for your website? Here are 20 free sets. 

And here are some free web design tools, although you should note many use AI. 

[bopinion]

2023 / 18

Aperçu of the Week:

"Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward."

(Oscar Wilde)

Bad News of the Week:

What's true in security policy is also true in fiscal policy: if the U.S. isn't fit, the whole world gets sick. The world's (still) largest economy sets the tone. Many global trade flows, e.g. for energy, are conducted in U.S. dollars, and in many countries it has replaced the domestic currency - whether unofficially, as in Zimbabwe, or even officially, as in El Salvador. So what happens to the U.S. economy or the U.S. dollar has global implications.

In the process, there seems to be a kind of parallel universe. Normally, in the economy, when a so-called insolvency threatens, all the alarm bells go off: Employees look for new jobs, suppliers stop supplying, the bank cancels the credit line, creditors are left sitting on their claims. The company is simply bankrupt, at the end of its rope, with no future prospects. Except, perhaps, for a few fillet pieces that the competition buys up at bargain prices. This does not apply to the USA. Because it is effectively bankrupt. And no one seems to care.

The current debt level - only of the state, not of its companies (banking crisis) or citizens (mortgage and credit card crisis) - amounts to $31.38 trillion. This is significantly more than the gross domestic product (GDP) of $26.85 trillion. In fact, this can never be repaid. For comparison: in Germany, $2.73 trillion in debt is compared to a GDP of $5.32 trillion. And we feel that this is bad. The creditors of the USA sit primarily abroad - whether friendly like Japan or even downright hostile like China. And sleep apparently nevertheless calmly. And that even in the face of the current (once again) concrete threat of insolvency.

Normally, and this has been the case for decades, this is nothing more than a ritual: the money is no longer enough, Republicans and Democrats agree - sometimes with more, sometimes with less dispute - to ignore the debt ceiling, which is actually regulated by law, they obtain money on the markets without any problems and act as if nothing had happened. Until next time. Business as usual.

This year, things may turn out differently. Because the trench warfare between the duopoly parties could reach a new level. Which this time might not be done with a few government agencies and national parks closed for two weeks. Already since the in many ways ridiculous election of Kevin McCarthy as Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, this has been publicly announced. Because the ultra-right MAGA freaks like Marjorie Taylor Green or Matt Gaetz have made it clear that they will play hard ball on this issue at the latest: rather cuts in social services as well as environmental protection than a suspension of the debt ceiling. For party-political reasons and without a shred of interest in economic or financial policy. At the same time, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that so far it has only been possible to avert default through "a series of extraordinary measures".

Strange that the U.S. nevertheless has a credit rating of AAA. Is that perhaps because the three relevant agencies, Standard & Poor, Moody's and Fitch, are all U.S.-based private firms? Or that no one wants to admit that there may be a systematic problem after all? In every banking crisis - and we have one right now that is nowhere as dramatic as in the U.S. - the term "too big to fail" makes the rounds. The land of unlimited opportunity, unreal projection surface for the hopes and dreams of large parts of the world's population, must not be allowed to fail. That is psychology. It's certainly not mathematics.

Good News of the Week:

More and more often, I notice on the train and in the supermarket that I'm the only one still wearing an FFP2 mask. Yet I'm not an overly anxious person. I am merely part of a vulnerable group for whom it is still better not to become infected with the corona virus. But that is my personal decision. And no longer a legal requirement. Because there isn't one anymore. Except in many doctors' offices, where masks are still mandatory if that's what the doctor wants - which objectively would have made sense even earlier, because after all, that's basically where a disproportionate number of viruses and bacteria are buzzing around.

Basically, I'm glad that the Word Health Organization (WHO) officially lifted the international health emergency due to Corona on Friday. After more than three years of a worldwide pandemic. In the balance, there are more than 20 million deaths. A health system that reached its limits and exceeded them in many countries. A mass death of retailers and cultural institutions. Lots of children and young people with mental health problems - or at least major failures as they grew up.

Many health policy decisions were right. Many were wrong. Some fellows discovered their social empathy. Some a penchant for conspiracy theories. Friendships and bonds of solidarity have grown. Or were destroyed. As is so often the case in life, the task now is to learn from the past for the future. Because it will not be the last challenge that human society will have to face - looking at the news, the multi-crisis still dominates.

Therefore, it is nice that we have at least left behind the frightening side effects of the Corona pandemic. Which will accompany us from now on as a "completely normal" respiratory disease with a potentially fatal outcome. Like the flu. Because let's face it: normality can be very reassuring.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Last Monday was May 1, a public holiday in Germany. And while on "Labor Day" (actually absurd that this day of all days is a public holiday) demonstrations of the trade unions for more workers' rights take place everywhere in Germany, the accent in Bavaria is elsewhere. Namely on the maypole. A tradition according to which an approximately 30 meter high, white-blue painted trunk is erected with muscle power - accompanied by music, dance and beer. Cancelled the last years because of Corona, it was nice to be able to celebrate this festival again this year. Even the rain had a mercy and took a break for the crucial three hours.

I couldn't care less...

...that the United Kingdom has a new head of state since yesterday, King Charles III. And so do Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 13 other Commonwealth countries. All the pomp, his costumes and rituals etc. show me one thing above all: monarchies are no longer in keeping with the times. And are not democratic.

As I write this...

...I am listening to music. Right now John Legend. And think about the fact that this is probably the only undoubtedly exclusively positive achievement of mankind: art. Whether it's music, poetry, performing or visual art, analog or digital, live or documented. The kind of creativity that does not seek a concrete use value, but stimulates, entertains, inspires, polarizes, makes you think. L'art pour l'art is something very beautiful.

Post Scriptum

Germany reached its "earth overload day" last week. So if all of humanity were as wasteful with resources as we are, it would need three Earths. We only buy green electricity and drive an all-electric car or use public transportation. We try not to throw away food and collect everything that can be recycled. We order as little as possible from Amazon (okay: also because we simply can't stand the working conditions of this company and its owner himself) and basically try to reduce our consumption (okay: this also saves money and has an educational value). And yet we are more part of the problem than part of the solution. Sigh...

[knaveofmogadore]

Ok, this tweet is really misleading

Germany as a state has not banned pro-palisrine protest. Berlin specifically banned certain groups from marching because people have been defacing Jewish homes and businesses . There have been peaceful marches allowed in Germany just this week:

As of three days ago, flying the flag is not banned in the UK. The Home Secretary Suella Braverman was assessing specific cases of flag flying in connection with harassment of locals, not flying the Palistinian flag as a whole. FLYING THE PALISTINIAN FLAG IS NOT BANNED. Stop taking your news from twitter

The thing with the student losing their job offer is true, though misleading. They were one student, a president of a local group on campus, who circulated a letter stating that Israel is to blame for any violence in the region. They (NB) published the letter after circulating it to be signed, and in response the law firm they were slotted to intern at rescinded their job offer. Some student groups rescinded their signatures after the list of civilians dead was released earlier this week, but not all. The entire thing is actually an insane breach of privacy, with other companies reaching out trying to finagle the list of students out of administration:

Cannot find a single source for Columbia banning journalists. It's only mentioned as a restriction, where Columbia U only wants campus ID holders to be protesting on their campus, and this is enforced regardless of what the protest is about. The same rules applied to the pro-Israel counter protests. They did this specifically because the counter protest was known about in advance and they wanted to prevent a full scale riot:

remember like a year ago when the west was acting appalled at russia arresting anti-war protesters for holding up blank signs and showing even a shred of sympathy for ukraine? sorry folks your genocide doesn't pertain to our geopolitical interests you're on your own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[healthcareruhi]

Multilayer Pipes Market: Market Dynamics and Strategies for Success 2024-2030

Our Report covers global as well as regional markets and provides an in-depth analysis of the overall growth prospects of the market. Global market trend analysis including historical data, estimates to 2024, and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) forecast to 2030 is given based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market segments involving economic and non-economic factors. Furthermore, it reveals the comprehensive competitive landscape of the global market, the current and future market prospects of the industry, and the growth opportunities and drivers as well as challenges and constraints in emerging and emerging markets.

Get More Insights: https://qualiketresearch.com/reports-details/Multilayer-Pipes-Market

Key Matrix for Latest Report Update • Base Year: 2023 • Estimated Year: 2024 • CAGR: 2024 to 2034

Get Sample Report:

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Key Prominent Players In The Multilayer Pipes  Market:

Gabbaplast Srl, Isoltubex S.L., aquatherm GmbH, Peštan d.o.o., LK Pex AB, Uponor Corporation, Wavin B.V., Valsir SpA, REHAU, Geberit AG.

Market segmentation

The Multilayer Pipes  market is segmented by type and application. Growth between segments over the period 2024-2030 provides accurate calculations and forecasts of revenue by type and application in terms of volume and value. This analysis can help you expand your business by targeting eligible niches.

Multilayer Pipes  Market Segment by Type

Water Supply (Sanitary Water Supply, Heating (Surface, Radiator)), Wastewater Management (Vertical Systems, Horizontal Systems)

Multilayer Pipes  Market Segment by Applications

Residential Building (Multi Family Buildings, Single Family Building), Commercial Building (Education Institutes & Students Campus, Healthcare & Medical Clinics, Corporate Offices, Hotels & Motels

Regional Analysis for COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Multilayer Pipes  Market:

APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe)

North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico)

South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America)

MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa)

Multilayer Pipes Market Research Objectives: - Concentrates on the key manufacturers, to define, pronounce and analyze the value, sales volume, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years. - To share comprehensive information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (opportunities, drivers, growth potential, industry-specific challenges and risks). - Analyzing the with regard to individual future prospects, growth trends, and their involvement to the total market. - Reasonable developments such as agreements, expansions, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market - To deliberately profile the key players and systematically examine their growth strategies.

FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: To understand the market conditions the five forces analysis is developed that comprises Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) Economical: Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability)

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QualiKet Research is a leading Market Research and Competitive Intelligence partner helping leaders across the world to develop robust strategy and stay ahead for evolution by providing actionable insights about ever changing market scenario, competition and customers.

QualiKet Research is dedicated to enhancing the ability of faster decision making by providing timely and scalable intelligence.

QualiKet Research strive hard to simplify strategic decisions enabling you to make right choice. We use different intelligence tools to come up with evidence that showcases the threats and opportunities which helps our clients outperform their competition. Our experts provide deep insights which is not available publicly that enables you to take bold steps.

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[qrshalini]

Global Gamification Market: Driving Engagement, Innovation, and Business Growth.

The Global Gamification Market is experiencing significant growth as businesses across industries adopt game-like elements to enhance engagement, productivity, and customer loyalty. Gamification involves the application of game design principles—such as rewards, points, challenges, and leaderboards—to non-gaming environments, including corporate training, education, marketing, healthcare, retail, and customer engagement.

Get More Insights:

https://qualiketresearch.com/reports-details/Gamification-Market

Key Matrix for Latest Report Update • Base Year: 2023, Estimated Year: 2024, CAGR: 2024 to 2030

Key Players In Global Gamification Market:

Microsoft Corporation, SAP, BI WORLDWIDE ,Verint, AON, Hoopla, CENTRICAL, MAMBO.IO, MPS INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, AMBITION, and AXONIFY

Market segmentation:

Global Gamification Market is segmented into deployment such as Cloud, and On-Premises, by enterprise size such as Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs), and Large Enterprise. Further, market is segmented into application such as Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Human Resource, and others, and industry such as BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Government, Education & Research, IT & Telecomm, and Others. 

Also, Global Gamification Market is segmented into five regions such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

Global Gamification Market Segment Deployment:

Deployment Cloud On-Premise

Global Gamification Market Segment Application:

Sales Marketing Product Development Human Resource Others

Regional Analysis for COVID-19 Outbreak- Global Gamification Market:

APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe)

North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico)

South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America)

MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa)

FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: To understand the market conditions the five forces analysis is developed that comprises Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) Economical: Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability)

FAQ's:

Which are the dominant players of the Global Gamification Market?

What will be the size of the Global Gamification Market?

Which segment will lead the Global Gamification Market?

How will the market development trends change in the next five years?

What is the nature of the competitive landscape of the Global Gamification Market?

What are the go-to strategies adopted in the Global Gamification Market?

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QualiKet Research is dedicated to enhancing the ability of faster decision making by providing timely and scalable intelligence.

QualiKet Research strive hard to simplify strategic decisions enabling you to make right choice. We use different intelligence tools to come up with evidence that showcases the threats and opportunities which helps our clients outperform their competition. Our experts provide deep insights which is not available publicly that enables you to take bold steps.

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[cryptoventureusa]

Top 10 Crypto-Friendly Countries to Watch in 2024

The world of cryptocurrency continues to evolve, and with it, various countries have embraced the technology, adapting their regulations to foster growth and innovation in the sector. As we step into 2024, it's clear that some nations have become particularly crypto-friendly, offering a favorable environment for crypto enthusiasts, businesses, and investors. Here are the top 10 crypto-friendly countries to watch in 2024, where the latest crypto coin news today and crypto currency news today are thriving.

1. Switzerland

Switzerland has long been a hub for blockchain innovation, particularly in the city of Zug, known as "Crypto Valley." In 2024, Switzerland remains one of the most crypto-friendly countries, offering clear regulations and a robust financial infrastructure. The Swiss government has shown a commitment to supporting blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, making it a top destination for crypto investors and startups. Additionally, the country offers tax benefits and legal clarity for crypto transactions, which helps create a stable environment for growth. As a leader in crypto currency news, Switzerland continues to be an ideal location for crypto businesses to thrive.

2. Singapore

Singapore has established itself as a leader in the cryptocurrency space. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has implemented a progressive regulatory framework that supports crypto businesses while maintaining investor protection. In 2024, Singapore remains a global crypto hub, offering low taxes, clear regulations, and a strong financial sector that attracts crypto investors and blockchain companies. Singapore's stable economy and tech-friendly policies continue to make it a go-to location for cryptocoin news and the latest updates on the coin in market.

3. Malta

Malta, often referred to as "Blockchain Island," has embraced cryptocurrency and blockchain technology with open arms. The country passed comprehensive laws to regulate cryptocurrencies and blockchain applications, offering legal certainty to businesses in the space. Malta has become a prime location for crypto exchanges and blockchain companies, and in 2024, its crypto-friendly stance remains a key factor in its attractiveness to crypto entrepreneurs. Keep an eye on Shiba Inu coin news and other coins news crypto coming from this growing crypto hotspot.

4. Portugal

Portugal has gained popularity among crypto enthusiasts due to its favorable tax regime for crypto-related income. In 2024, Portugal continues to be one of the most crypto-friendly countries in Europe. The country offers tax exemptions on capital gains from the sale of cryptocurrencies for individuals, which makes it an attractive place for crypto investors. Portugal's welcoming attitude toward blockchain technology and its growing crypto ecosystem make it a prime destination for both businesses and individuals. Bitcoin price today remains a topic of interest in the Portuguese crypto community.

5. Estonia

Estonia has long been a pioneer in digital innovation, and its approach to cryptocurrency is no different. The Estonian government has implemented policies that foster the growth of blockchain technology and digital currencies. In 2024, Estonia's clear regulatory framework, including the e-residency program, continues to attract crypto businesses from around the world. With low corporate taxes and a tech-savvy population, Estonia remains one of Europe's top crypto-friendly countries, making headlines in crypto currency news for its blockchain advancements.

6. Germany

Germany's approach to cryptocurrency is unique compared to many other European countries. As of 2024, Germany has established itself as one of the most crypto-friendly countries in Europe, thanks to its regulatory clarity. The country has legalized the use of cryptocurrencies as a form of payment and offers tax advantages for crypto investors. Additionally, Germany has a strong financial sector that is increasingly integrating blockchain technology, which makes it an attractive destination for crypto businesses. Bitcoin news from Germany reflects the country's positive stance on blockchain innovation.

7. Japan

Japan has been one of the first major economies to embrace cryptocurrencies, and in 2024, it continues to be a crypto-friendly country. The country has a clear regulatory framework that ensures consumer protection while allowing crypto businesses to operate legally. Japan's proactive stance on blockchain technology and crypto exchanges has made it a leader in the crypto space in Asia. With a large, tech-savvy population and robust infrastructure, Japan remains an important market for coins news crypto and crypto coin news today.

8. United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE, particularly Dubai, has emerged as a major crypto hub in the Middle East. The government has introduced a favorable regulatory environment, which includes tax-free crypto trading and the establishment of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy. In 2024, the UAE continues to invest heavily in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency-related businesses. Its forward-thinking policies and the presence of numerous crypto firms and exchanges make it an attractive destination for crypto entrepreneurs. Stay updated on the latest NFT news coming from this rapidly growing crypto ecosystem.

9. Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands, a popular offshore financial center, has developed a crypto-friendly regulatory framework that allows businesses to operate with minimal interference. In 2024, the country remains a top choice for crypto companies looking for a jurisdiction with favorable tax policies and low operating costs. The Cayman Islands is home to many crypto hedge funds and exchanges, and its commitment to blockchain innovation continues to attract international investors and businesses. With a growing presence in the crypto currency news, this offshore haven offers opportunities for crypto investors.

10. El Salvador

El Salvador made history in 2021 by becoming the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, and in 2024, it remains a crypto pioneer. The country has shown its commitment to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency by offering a range of incentives for crypto businesses, including tax exemptions and infrastructure investments. El Salvador’s push to become the first "Bitcoin City" reflects its dedication to becoming a leading crypto hub, and its proactive approach to blockchain technology has garnered attention from around the world. Keep an eye on Bitcoin price today as El Salvador's Bitcoin initiatives continue to influence global trends.

Conclusion

As the crypto industry continues to grow, these 10 countries are leading the charge in creating an environment conducive to innovation, investment, and the widespread adoption of blockchain technology. Whether through progressive tax policies, clear regulatory frameworks, or government-backed initiatives, these nations are making a significant impact on the global cryptocurrency landscape in 2024. If you’re considering relocating or investing in the crypto space, these countries offer some of the best opportunities to do so, with exciting updates on crypto coin news today, coin in market performance, Shiba Inu coin news, and NFT news shaping the future of crypto.

[darkmaga-returns]

December 03, 2024

Mirror Action - China To Block 'Dual Use' Exports To U.S. War Mongers

During its Ukrainian proxy war on Russia the Biden administration and its minions have pushed China for allegedly providing support to  Russia. This year it even started to sanction Chinese companies for allegedly providing 'dual-use items' to Russian businesses.

Ukraine war: Biden tells China's Xi of 'consequences' if Beijing gives Russia material support for invasion - Sky News, March 18 2022

Blinken says China helping fuel Russian threat to Ukraine - BBC, Apr 26 2024

U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Companies for Aiding Russia’s War Effort - New York Times, May 1 2024

China should pay for propping up Putin's war - Nato chief - BBC, June 17 2024

Germany’s Baerbock urges China not to support Russia’s war against Ukraine - Anadolu, Dec 2 2024

The sanctions game though can be reversed. China has several quasi monopoly positions which it can use to hit back.

In (probably) a reply to Baerbock's latest intervention, it just started to use these (machine translation):

Announcement of the Ministry of Commerce No. 46 of 2024 on strengthening export controls on Related Dual-use items to the United States - mofcom.cn, Dec 3 2024

In accordance with the relevant provisions of laws and regulations such as the "Export Control Law of the People's Republic of China", in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation, it has been decided to strengthen export controls on related dual-use items to the United States. The relevant matters are now announced as follows： Organizations and individuals in any country or region that violate the above regulations and transfer or provide related dual-use items originating in the People's Republic of China to organizations and individuals in the United States will be investigated for legal responsibility in accordance with the law.

Gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials are important for chip making in electronics industries and for weapon manufacturers. Graphite is necessary to make rechargeable batteries.

These commodity items are not necessarily rare but China has plenty of them and, more importantly, is nearly the only country which processes them in large quantities. The reason is that the processes to do refine the raw materials are somewhat dirty and only profitable when done on scale.

The U.S. can, and probably will, (re-)build the industries to do the processing for such items. But it will cost it lots of money and, more importantly, years to achieve that.

It will also be difficult to criticize China for fulfilling its 'international obligations such as non-proliferation' while that is a main attack point the U.S. has used against China.

But be assured that the hypocrites, like Mrs. Baerbock, will anyway try to do so.

[mariacallous]

Free Web Turkey reported on Thursday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son Bilal and Leven Uysal, a lawmaker with Erdogan’s ally, the far-right Nationalist Movement Party, MHP, used the courts to block access to news articles and social media content they deem critical.

A court in Istanbul blocked access to 67 online news articles that were earlier blocked, covering the activities of Bilal Erdogan, his family and friends.

The court decision was “based on the request of Bilal Erdogan”, wrote Free Web Turkey, a platform monitoring and fighting online censorship, published by the Media and Law Studies Association, MLSA.

The news articles about Bilal Erdogan, his friends and family cover their ties and activities within the state and business as well as corruption claims.

Uysal, from the MHP, also has the courts on his side when it comes to digital censorship, Free Web Turkey wrote. “News about the Serbian citizenship of MHP Mersin MP Levent Uysal, who had previously blocked news about the claim that he was caught trying to take out a 45-million-euro loan with a fake letter of guarantee, was blocked with a [court] decision dated March 13, on Uysal’s request,” Free Web Turkey wrote.

The recent blocked news articles and social media posts of journalists Ismail Ari and Bulent Mumay were about Uysal’s “unlawfully obtained Serbian citizenship”.

Uysal also asked the court to block his own social media posts. As a result, it ordered access blocks to his six tweets on X. “Now Uysal needs to delete the tweets in question,” Free Web Turkey wrote.

A report by Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in June 2023 said the Turkish government copies the Russian government’s handbook in using courts to target journalists and media houses.

BIRN’s latest Digital Rights Violations Report also underlined that tens of thousands of online content items were blocked by Turkish courts as Erdogan’s government tightens digital censorship.

“Turkish courts also ordered the removal of tens of thousands of online articles and blocked access to social media posts. Most of the content that was taken down or blocked was critical of government policies or was about people linked to the government, President Erdogan’s family or influential leaders of organised criminal groups,” the BIRN report wrote.

In February this year alone, 866 URLs were blocked by Turkish courts, the MLSA, announced, adding: “Criticising the government is banned.”

Turkey ranked 165th out of 180 countries in 2023 in the latest press freedom index issued by the watchdog organisation Reporters Without Borders, RSF.

[thomasbaileyy]

Legal Superpower: The New “Most Feared” U.S. Law Firm Of Josip Heit And GS Partners!

As reported by FinTelegram, the U.S. authorities have taken massive action against Josip Heit and his crypto MLM scheme around GSPartners and Swiss Valorem Bank in recent weeks. A total of 12 U.S. states have issued warnings and cease and desist orders. According to BehindMLM, further investigations by U.S. authorities are also ongoing. Heit has mandated the U.S. law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP to get him out of his U.S. problems.

In a flamboyant display of legal firepower, Josip Heit and his intricate network of enterprises under the GSB Gold Standard Corporation AG (GSB Germany) umbrella have enlisted the superhero legal duo of Alex Spiro and Avi Perry from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. This move comes amid the swirling vortex of state civil regulatory and enforcement proceedings that have been captivating audiences across the United States.

With the drama unfolding, Spiro and Perry have stepped onto the stage, capes billowing in the legal winds, to declare that the allegations against Heit and his corporate empire are mere “unproven accusations.” It appears our protagonists are neither villains in handcuffs nor the subject of any damning final orders in the court of law. Instead, they are poised, ready to collaborate with state authorities in a quest to resolve these thrilling episodes.

Quinn Emanuel, the behemoth behind our legal Avengers, boasts a battalion of over 1,000 lawyers dedicated solely to the art of business litigation and arbitration. With a global network spanning 34 offices, this firm has been crowned the “most feared” law firm in the realm not once, not twice, but thrice—a title that surely sends shivers down the spines of in-house counsel worldwide.

The firm’s battle record is nothing short of legendary, with a win rate that would make even the most stoic of generals envious. When Quinn Emanuel defends, settlements improve, and verdicts trend favorably. When they attack, they’re nearly unstoppable, having secured nearly $80 billion in judgments and settlements. Their trophy case sparkles with nine-figure jury verdicts, ten-figure judgments, and settlements that read like phone numbers.

In their latest quest to defend Heit and his conglomerate, Quinn Emanuel is not just bringing their A-game; they’re bringing an entire alphabet of legal prowess. With accolades like “Litigation Department of the Year,” “International Firm of the Year,” and recognition in every legal arena from banking to IP litigation, it’s clear they’re well-equipped for battle.

So, as the legal saga unfolds, one can’t help but pop the popcorn and settle in for what promises to be an epic tale of litigation and intrigue. Will the legal Avengers manage to navigate the treacherous waters of state regulatory scrutiny? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: with Quinn Emanuel at the helm, we’re in for a blockbuster legal showdown.

[sophiethomas]

Josip Heit Sentenced to Prison for Financial Fraud in Luxembourg

Scandal surrounding a halted hyrdoelectric plant has seen Croatian journalists link the project to Sasa Svalina and brother-in-law Josip Heit.

Heit is currently going through a refund settlement nightmare, following securities fraud allegations pertaining to a billion dollar “fraudulent investment scheme”.

The latest out of Croatia is a September 22nd report from Dusan Miljus of Jutarnji. Among other things, Miljus examines Heit’s life prior to his involvement in Karatbars International.

Notably, Miljus reports Heit was previously sentenced to prison in Luxembourg for financial fraud.

Citing “reliable sources”, Jurarnji reports;

After he was released from prison in Luxembourg in 2012, where he was serving a sentence also for financial fraud, Heit took on a new identity in Croatia. He borrowed money, some of which he still owes today, and he continued to present himself as a successful businessman. [Heit] made an impression, drove a Bugatti, and the relatives of his ex-wife, a German born in Russia, “pumped up” his capital. Namely, her uncle Andrej Labudzko, whose brother is Viktor, who buys weapons for the Russian army and is a man trust by Putin. Heit even brought them to Una ten years ago.

There’s a lot to unpack there. First, details of Heit’s fraud leading up to his prison sentence in Luxembourg remain unclear.

Prior to his financial fraud prison sentence, Heit

stopped his studies and in 1998 started his first company for tourism and luxury services, i.e. leasing and charter boats in Croatia.

I want to point out, while seemingly being funded by a Russian arms dealer, when Russia invaded Ukraine Heit used donations to Ukraine as a GSPartners marketing tool.

Not sure how that went down with Heit’s relatives, but I digress.

Born Josip Curcic, Heit’s name-change happened after his release from Luxembourg prison.

Josip Heit was born in Split and married Kristina Heit, a German citizen born in Russia and residing in Germany, in 2009, and then took her last name. [Heit’s] parents Ivan and Ruza are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ivan Heit [sic] no longer has Croatian citizenship.

Jutarnji attempted to reach Heit for comment on multiple occasions.

It was only on Thursday afternoon that a female voice answered us, who did want to introduce herself by name, but only said that she would convey our message to Mr. Heit that we wanted to speak to him.

his brother-in-law [doesn’t] have anything to do with the construction of the mini hydropower plant in Una. Yes, my wife is his sister. I don’t know what his last name was before, but my wife’s maiden name was Curcic. [Heit’s] parents live in Kastel Stari. He lives in Dubai and I haven’t heard from him in a few moths. He doesn’t call me. We are not business-related in any way.

Karatbars International was founded in 2011. MisterHelmet, an “independent blogger” from Italy, cites Heit as a Karatbars International co-founder.

Founded in 2011 by the German, Harald Seiz, and co-founders Josip Heit, Alex Bodi (later jailed for organised crime) and Ovidiu Toma.

Sasa Svalina was also involved in Karatbars International, making an appearance in at least one marketing video with Heit.

Following a failed transition to MLM crypto fraud, Karatbars International collapsed in mid 2019.

The collapse saw Heit split from longtime business partner Harald Seiz. Jutarnji reports Heit set about establishing GSB shell companies in Kazakhstan in 2020.

It is stated that in 2020 GSB registered a new entity in the Republic of Kazakhstan, related to cryptocurrency trading. There is no information about board members, income, but only eulogies about successes.

Today we know GSB as “GSB Group”. Heit would go on to launch GSPartners and multiple related companies through GSB Group.

By its own admission, GSPartners claims to have solicited a billion dollars in investment from “over 800,000 investors”.

Following an avalanche of regulatory fraud warnings from around the world, GSPartners collapsed in December 2023. The majority of GSPartners investors are believed to be North American residents.

As part of a settlement reached with US regulators earlier this month, that will see “GSB Group and Mr. Heit … consent to the entry of an enforcement order that concludes they illegally offered and/or sold securities”, US and Canadian investors are hoping to get their money back.

Pending further action, be it at the federal level in the US or civil and/or criminal fraud charges filed in other countries, funds invested by GSPartners participants outside of North America remain unaccounted for.

[sanikapatil22]

Open-Source Intelligence Market Competitiveness: Strategies for Sustainable Market Positioning

Strategic Insights and Forecasts: Open-Source Intelligence Market Leaders

The Open-Source Intelligence Size report is anticipated to experience significant growth in the coming years. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, the market is expected to expand. The Open-Source Intelligence research not only highlights current industry standards but also reveals the latest strategic trends and patterns among market players. This research serves as an essential business document, aiding global market buyers in planning their next steps regarding the market's future trajectory.

According to Straits Research, the global Open-Source Intelligence market size was valued at USD 7715.2 Million in 2021. It is projected to reach from USD XX Million in 2022 to USD 55848.3 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 24.7% during the forecast period (2022–2030).

The Open-Source Intelligence Report is an essential resource for business strategists, offering insightful data and analysis. It includes an industry overview, growth analysis, and historical and projected figures for cost, revenue, supply, and demand (where applicable). Research analysts offer a thorough description of the value chain and distributor analysis. This report provides comprehensive information to deepen understanding, broaden the scope, and enhance the application of the findings.

Get Free Request Sample Report @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/open-source-intelligence-market/request-sample

Leading Open-Source Intelligence Market include: -

Digital Clues

Alfresco Software Inc.

Octogence Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Palantir Technologies Inc.

Recorded Future Inc.

Google Llc

Maltego Technologies Gmbh

Offsec Services Limited

Expert System S.P.A.

Thales Group

The Open-Source Intelligence Market Report helps a wide range of businesses determine what their consumers truly want by doing extensive market research. When it comes to new products, every company owner wants to know how much demand there is, and this report is a great resource. Additional benefits include ensuring that the most recent market developments are covered. You may closely check key rivals and their company growth tactics by reading the Open-Source Intelligence market research. It also does an in-depth research for the years 2022-2030 in order to provide company owners with new business options.

This research also provides a dashboard view of prominent Organizations, highlighting their effective marketing tactics, market share and most recent advances in both historical and current settings.

Global Open-Source Intelligence Market: Segmentation

By Source

Media

Internet

Public and Government

Professional and Academic Publications

Commercial

Others

By Techniques

Text Analytics

Video Analytics

Social Analytics

Geospatial Analytics

Security Analytics

Others

By Security

Data Analytics

Human Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Security

Content Intelligence

Network Analytics

By End-Users

Government Intelligence Agencies

Military Intelligence Agencies

Cybersecurity Organization

Law Enforcement Agencies

Financial Services

Private Specialized Business

Public Sector

National Security

Others

The report forecasts revenue growth at all the geographic levels and provides an in-depth analysis of the latest industry trends and development patterns from 2022 to 2030 in each of the segments and sub-segments. Some of the major geographies included in the market are given below:

The regions covered include:

North America (United States, Canada, Mexico)

Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Australia, Indonesia)

Middle East and Africa (UAE, Iran, Syria, South Africa)

South America (Brazil, Peru, Chile, Colombia)

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[heyscammers]

Joseph Heit sentenced to prison for financial fraud in Luxembourg

Scandal surrounding a halted hyrdoelectric plant has seen Croatian journalists link the project to Sasa Svalina and brother-in-law Josip Heit.

Heit is currently going through a refund settlement nightmare, following securities fraud allegations pertaining to a billion dollar “fraudulent investment scheme”.

The latest out of Croatia is a September 22nd report from Dusan Miljus of Jutarnji. Among other things, Miljus examines Heit’s life prior to his involvement in Karatbars International.

Notably, Miljus reports Heit was previously sentenced to prison in Luxembourg for financial fraud.

Citing “reliable sources”, Jurarnji reports;

After he was released from prison in Luxembourg in 2012, where he was serving a sentence also for financial fraud, Heit took on a new identity in Croatia.

He borrowed money, some of which he still owes today, and he continued to present himself as a successful businessman.

[Heit] made an impression, drove a Bugatti, and the relatives of his ex-wife, a German born in Russia, “pumped up” his capital.

Namely, her uncle Andrej Labudzko, whose brother is Viktor, who buys weapons for the Russian army and is a man trust by Putin. Heit even brought them to Una ten years ago.

There’s a lot to unpack there. First, details of Heit’s fraud leading up to his prison sentence in Luxembourg remain unclear.

Prior to his financial fraud prison sentence, Heit

stopped his studies and in 1998 started his first company for tourism and luxury services, i.e. leasing and charter boats in Croatia.

I want to point out, while seemingly being funded by a Russian arms dealer, when Russia invaded Ukraine Heit used donations to Ukraine as a GSPartners marketing tool.

Not sure how that went down with Heit’s relatives, but I digress.

Born Josip Curcic, Heit’s name-change happened after his release from Luxembourg prison.

Josip Heit was born in Split and married Kristina Heit, a German citizen born in Russia and residing in Germany, in 2009, and then took her last name.

[Heit’s] parents Ivan and Ruza are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ivan Heit [sic] no longer has Croatian citizenship.

Jutarnji attempted to reach Heit for comment on multiple occasions.

It was only on Thursday afternoon that a female voice answered us, who did want to introduce herself by name, but only said that she would convey our message to Mr. Heit that we wanted to speak to him.

Sasa Svalina (right) was tracked down in Croatia and, despite being related to Heit and investment into the frozen hydroelectric project being through one of Heit’s companies, stated;

his brother-in-law [doesn’t] have anything to do with the construction of the mini hydropower plant in Una.

Yes, my wife is his sister. I don’t know what his last name was before, but my wife’s maiden name was Curcic.

[Heit’s] parents live in Kastel Stari. He lives in Dubai and I haven’t heard from him in a few moths. He doesn’t call me. We are not business-related in any way.

Karatbars International was founded in 2011. MisterHelmet, an “independent blogger” from Italy, cites Heit as a Karatbars International co-founder.

Founded in 2011 by the German, Harald Seiz, and co-founders Josip Heit, Alex Bodi (later jailed for organised crime) and Ovidiu Toma.

Sasa Svalina was also involved in Karatbars International, making an appearance in at least one marketing video with Heit.

Following a failed transition to MLM crypto fraud, Karatbars International collapsed in mid 2019.

The collapse saw Heit split from longtime business partner Harald Seiz. Jutarnji reports Heit set about establishing GSB shell companies in Kazakhstan in 2020.

It is stated that in 2020 GSB registered a new entity in the Republic of Kazakhstan, related to cryptocurrency trading.

There is no information about board members, income, but only eulogies about successes.

Today we know GSB as “GSB Group”. Heit would go on to launch GSPartners and multiple related companies through GSB Group.

By its own admission, GSPartners claims to have solicited a billion dollars in investment from “over 800,000 investors”.

Following an avalanche of regulatory fraud warnings from around the world, GSPartners collapsed in December 2023. The majority of GSPartners investors are believed to be North American residents.

As part of a settlement reached with US regulators earlier this month, that will see “GSB Group and Mr. Heit … consent to the entry of an enforcement order that concludes they illegally offered and/or sold securities”, US and Canadian investors are hoping to get their money back.

Pending further action, be it at the federal level in the US or civil and/or criminal fraud charges filed in other countries, funds invested by GSPartners participants outside of North America remain unaccounted for.

[aishakhatoonblogs]

Irle Moser Try to Suppress Ties to GSPartners & Josip Heit

A case filed by Irle Moser in the Regional Court of Hamburg in late 2023 names Google as a Defendant.

Irle Moser has taken issue with being labeled a “partner-in-crime” of Josip Heit’s. Instead of engaging BehindMLM, publisher of the statement in question, Irle Moser has targeted Google.

Thus far Google hasn’t participated in Irle Moser’s latest proceedings. This means the Hamburg District Court’s order has been made on procedural grounds, as opposed to due-process. Procedurally, it must be assumed that the statement according to which the claimants helped Mr Heit to carry out criminal acts by carrying out their own criminal acts is untrue.

The statement in question, “I learned about the order in mid 2021, through Heit’s partners-in-crime in Germany, Irle Moser”, was made in the article “BehindMLM is under threat (GSPartners & the NYSC)“.

BehindMLM published the “under threat” article in November 2023. It was a response to a New York Supreme Court petition, instigated by an earlier Irle Moser lawsuit also targeting Google.

Irle Moser represent Josip Heit’s and, by proxy, GSPartners’ legal interests in Germany.

Irle Moser were behind targeting of BehindMLM in Ukraine in 2021. After that went nowhere the law firm escalated their campaign of suppression in the Hamburg District Court against Google.

Google didn’t respond to proceedings, resulting in a March 2022 order seeing BehindMLM’s due-diligence into GSPartners blocked in Germany.

Irle Moser’s 2022 order was the basis of the filed New York Supreme Court petition (currently under appeal).

Getting back to Irle Moser being Heit’s “partners-in-crime”, to date GSPartners has received regulatory fraud warnings and enforcement action from twelve US states, five Canadian provinces, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The Texas State Securities Board’s order stated Heit, through GSPartners and related companies, was perpetrating various fraudulent investment schemes that are threatening immediate and irreparable public harm.

As part of operation of said fraudulent investment schemes, GSPartners’ NYSC petition was cited as an example of Heit’s efforts to impose “sanctions and lawsuits against private parties warning others” of his fraudulent conduct (pg. 46, par. 136).

With respect to BehindMLM, those efforts began with Irle Moser’s actions in Ukraine and Germany.

In the US securities fraud charges can be both civil and criminal. On the criminal side of things, MLM related securities fraud typically involves:

securities fraud (including conspiracy to commit securities fraud)

wire fraud (including conspiracy to commit wire fraud) and

money laundering

Obviously be it civil or criminal charges, securities fraud is illegal in the US. It’s illegal in Germany too, although German authorities tend to be years behind their US counterparts in major MLM fraud cases.

Point is, within the context of ongoing regulatory and law enforcement action against Josip Heit and GSPartners, there’s a basis to seeing Irle Moser as Heit’s “partners-in-crime”.

In their correspondence with FinTelegram, Irle Moser dismissed regulatory fraud warnings against GSPartners and Heit as “irrelevant”.

Those “irrelevant” warnings and enforcement actions would eventually lead to GSPartners “terminating” US and Canadian investor accounts.

In a February 12th filing as part of ongoing regulatory fraud proceedings in Arizona, GSPartners claimed, as result of action by regulators, that its “entire business has been effectively shuttered”.

It’s not hard to see why Irle Moser might now be keen to publicly distance themselves from GSPartners and Heit. Behind the scenes however, Irle Moser are still very much involved.

State-level investigations into GSPartners and Heit are ongoing. Federal level investigations are also underway.

Beyond Texas noting “sanctions and lawsuits against private parties warning others”, whether Irle Moser and their conduct is within the scope of those investigations is unclear.

With respect to the recent District Court of Hamburg’s order, BehindMLM has unfortunately had to block our coverage of Irle Moser’s ties to GSPartners and Josip Heit for our German readers.

Other statements in BehindMLM’s “under threat” article Irle Moser brought up in their Complaint include:

the assertion Irle Moser’s proceedings were brought ex-parte

the use of photographs of Ben Irle, Christian-Oliver Moser (and presumably Josip Heit) in our reporting

The court rejected both claims, finding;

In other respects the claim for injunctive relief has no merit.

The statement according to which the claimants had initiated one-party (ex parte) proceedings is not proven to be untrue.

From previous proceedings the Chamber knows that the claimants did indeed initiate ex parte proceedings.

With regard to the use of the claimant’s photographs the claim for injunctive relief has no merit.

Even when considering the fact that one sentence int he article referring to the claimants had to be prohibited, the statement in the reporting that the claimants act for Mr Heit in court proceedings, among others in Germany, is not objectionable.

The author was permitted to use the photographs to support the reporting.

The Hamburg District Court required Irle Moser and Google to pay 7,777 EUR and 6,666 EUR in legal costs respectively.

Google advises it is “currently assessing their legal options regarding the court order.”

If the order is successfully challenged BehindMLM will restore access to our “under threat” article to German readers.

Alternatively, we will also restore access if US federal fraud proceedings are brought against GSPartners, Heit and/or Irle Moser first.