Author: Susan Hauser

Dubai — Fintech entrepreneur Vehid Abdullahi, chief executive of Pallapay, says his company has developed what it describes as the first crypto-to-fiat point-of-sale system designed to let merchants accept cryptocurrency payments without directly handling digital assets. The system is aimed at retailers and e-commerce businesses that want to offer crypto payment options while avoiding exposure to price volatility or the technical complexity typically associated with digital currencies. According to Pallapay, transactions are automatically converted, allowing merchants to receive payments in traditional fiat currencies even when customers pay in crypto. The launch comes as cryptocurrency use for payments continues to expand…

Ramat Gan, Israel — Cybersecurity firm SCADAfence has identified previously unknown vulnerabilities in widely deployed building management system devices, prompting U.S. authorities to issue the first-ever security advisories for the affected products. According to SCADAfence, its research team uncovered multiple critical flaws in Alerton industrial Building Management System (BMS) devices, which are owned by Honeywell. Following the findings, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued four new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, marking the first time such weaknesses have been formally recorded for Alerton systems. One of the vulnerabilities received a severity score of 8.8, placing it in the high-risk…

Speaker Nancy Pelosi was expected to arrive in Singapore on Monday, beginning a closely watched tour of Asia that has intensified diplomatic anxiety over whether she might also visit Taiwan, a move that could sharply escalate tensions with China. Pelosi has declined to confirm whether Taiwan is on her itinerary. The island, a self-governing democracy of about 23 million people, is claimed by China as its territory. A visit by Pelosi would make her the highest-ranking U.S. official to travel there in decades, a prospect that has unsettled officials in both Beijing and Washington. While remaining silent on specific plans,…

A mysterious fire at an Iranian steel factory is raising fresh concerns about the ability of cyberattacks to cause real-world destruction, after a hacking group claimed it deliberately triggered the incident. The group, known as Predatory Sparrow, said it was responsible for a cyber operation that led to a serious blaze at the facility around two weeks ago. The claim has drawn attention because it suggests hackers may have crossed the line from digital disruption into physical damage, something experts say remains rare but deeply troubling. Predatory Sparrow released a video, which it said shows the aftermath of the attack.…

Conakry — Guinea’s military-led government has again ordered a suspension of all work linked to the Simandou iron ore project, citing continued failure by the companies involved to reach an agreement on a joint venture structure. In a letter dated July 3 and seen by Reuters, Mines Minister Moussa Magassouba said the two project partners, Rio Tinto and the Chinese-backed Winning Consortium Simandou, missed an extended deadline to finalize a partnership, prompting authorities to step in. Magassouba accused both companies of obstructing progress despite what he described as significant concessions made by the Guinean state. “It is clear the obstruction…

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is now the highest-paid player in the Premier League after agreeing to a new contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2025. The club confirmed the long-anticipated extension after months of speculation over Salah’s future, ending concerns that the Egyptian star could leave on a free transfer. Under the new deal, Salah is reported to earn around £400,000 per week, making him the best-paid player not only in Liverpool’s history but across England’s top flight. The agreement comes at a critical moment for manager Jürgen Klopp, who has already seen key forward Sadio Mané depart…

Kuala Lumpur — Indonesia’s deputy minister of trade, Jerry Sambuaga, used a regional blockchain forum in Malaysia to outline Jakarta’s regulatory approach to cryptocurrency and invite foreign investors to participate in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital asset markets. Sambuaga was a featured speaker at Malaysia International Blockchain Connected 2022, a two-day seminar held June 24–25 that brought together blockchain and crypto stakeholders from across Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. He delivered the main address on the opening day, focusing on Indonesia’s rapidly expanding crypto trading sector and the government’s plans to manage its growth. During his…

Cloud-based call centre software firm Aircall has crossed the $100 million mark in annual recurring revenue, a milestone that underscores its rapid growth as it prepares for global expansion and a potential stock market listing. The company, valued at around $1 billion, said the revenue milestone reflects strong demand from businesses shifting their customer support and sales operations to cloud-based platforms. Aircall also announced plans to expand its presence in Singapore and Madrid, moves aimed at strengthening its footprint in Asia and southern Europe. The expansions are expected to support customer growth and talent recruitment as the company scales its…

Washington — The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved legislation that dismantles a decades-old requirement for animal testing in drug development, clearing a major hurdle for modernizing how new medicines are evaluated in the United States. Lawmakers passed the FDA Modernization Act as part of a broader FDA reform package, voting 392–28 in favor. The provision removes the federal mandate that drugmakers rely on animal tests before advancing treatments into human trials, allowing companies to use alternative methods grounded in human biology. Supporters say the change could spare millions of animals, reduce the high failure rate of drugs in…

Canada’s construction sector staged a sharp recovery in 2021, expanding by 6.1 percent in real terms after contracting by 2 percent a year earlier, according to a newly released industry report now available from ResearchAndMarkets.com. The rebound was driven largely by a surge in residential construction, which grew 13 percent last year, alongside a modest pickup in civil engineering activity. Industry analysts point to progress in COVID-19 vaccinations, rising household incomes, and a broader global economic recovery as key factors behind the turnaround. Momentum carried into 2022, with the report projecting real-term growth of about 4 percent for the year.…