Lyndon Cooper

[lyndoncooper]

Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants Review: Dygtiggorelsen din virksomheds kultur med kunstvaerker

Det er vigtigt at have en god virksomhed kultur uanset hvad er storrelsen af din organisation, det vaere sig en stor virksomhed eller en lille virksomhed. Det bor vaere normerne for virksomheder at fremme en positiv atmosfaere at undga hoj omsaetning og give anledning til tilfredshed for bade medarbejdere og kunder. Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants tyder pa en enkel made at bidrage til gavn for virksomhedens kultur, og der ved hjaelp af skonhed af kunstvaerker til din virksomhed.

Husk, at dit kontor inviterer positiv energi ikke at tiltraekke den negative ene. Ved hjaelp af kunstvaerker kunne hjaelpe lette stemningen af folk inde jeres kontor. Kort sagt op dejlige fotografier, pop af farve eller inspirerende kunst til at lokke lykke. Specifikke undersogelser viser ogsa, at have kunst pa arbejdspladsen kan hjaelpe medarbejderne samle gode og positive folelser og reducere stress, i takt med stigende kreativitet.

De folgende tips er udarbejdet af Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants til at hjaelpe dig med at forbedre din virksomheds kultur med kunstvaerker:

Bestemme folelsen

Taenk pa stemningen onskede dine medarbejdere eller besogende til at fole sig om illustrationen, nar de indtaster en bestemt plads i din erhvervs-byggeri. Det er ofte rades til at fa ekspertisen af en art consulting service kan bedre hjaelpe dig vaelge, hvilken slags kunst vil passer perfekt til dine behov.

Repraesentere dit brand

Sorg for at din valgte kunst kunne repraesenterer dit brand i nogle mader. For eksempel bor illustrationen ogsa klassiske og traditionelle, hvis din virksomhed er i sadanne sti. Hver person, der gar ind i din kontorbygning bor let forsta begrebet din virksomhed gennem din udvalgte kunstvaerker. Du kunne erhverve service af en professionel kunstnerisk konsulent ligner Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants til at give dig en ekspert radgivning om valg af kunstvaerker, der let kunne give din virksomhed centrale budskab og branding til folket. Med dette, kan du vaere sikker med konsekvensen af din organisation og dine klienter og endda de habefulde medarbejdere vil have en klar idé til personlighed af din virksomhed.

Acceptere udtalelser

Som en virksomhedsejer, sikre for at bemaerke udtalelser fra dine medarbejdere. Har en kunstnerisk konsulent udover du er god og gavnlig, men synspunkter hos dine medarbejdere bor ogsa vurderes til at forbedre din hele virksomhedens kultur med din udsmykning valg. Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants opfordrer virksomhedsejere til at gennemfore en undersogelse blandt medarbejderne pa deres vaeg kunst valg. Hvis fleste foretraekker natur scener eller fotografier, bor du overveje kunstvaerker med dette tema. Medarbejdere vil blive mere inspireret til at arbejde i et sted med deres foretrukne design. Altid tage hensyn til deres forslag og gore dit bedste for at gennemfore dem.

Bor du kraeve yderligere bistand i denne henseende, sa tov ikke med at kontakte Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants, da de er mere end villig til at vaere til hjaelp.

[lyndoncooper]

Tourism Roadshow to Shanghai and Chengdu Promotes 'Ten New Balis'

Jakarta. Indonesia's Tourism Ministry organized a sales mission to Shanghai and Chengdu in China on May 22-25 to attract more Chinese tourists to Indonesia.

The ministry’s deputy for foreign marketing I Gde Pitana said they took along ten businessmen from Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta and Surabaya on the trip, which they dubbed the "Sales Mission Greater China 2017."

Flag career Garuda Indonesia representatives in Shanghai helped out to arrange meetings with dozens of Chinese travel agents interested in tour deals in Indonesia.

Pitana said he hoped the sales mission will help to attract even more Chinese tourists to Indonesia this year. Last year, almost 1.5 million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia.

Ten New Balis

The ministry's assistant deputy for Asia Pacific market development Vinsensius Jemadu said the ministry’s mini tour to Shanghai and Chengdu was earmarked to promote ten new priority tourist destinations the ministry calls the "Ten New Balis."

"Bali is still our number one tourist destination. But we have many other attractive destinations all over the country, including these Ten New Balis," Vinsensius said in a statement on Monday (29/05).

The Ten New Balis are Morotai, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Borobudur, Lake Toba, the Thousand Islands, Mt. Bromo, Mt. Semeru, Mandalika and Wakatobi.

Tourists from Greater China

Attracting more tourists from "Greater China" — China, Taiwan and Hong Kong — is one of the Tourism Ministry's priority targets in 2017.

The ministry officially targets 2,453,000 visitors from Greater China, with China alone making up 2,037,000 of that total. Until March, a total of 525,035 tourists from China have already visited Indonesia.

Pitana said the ministry has partnered with Baidu — the Chinese Google — for its "Wonderful Indonesia" marketing campaign in China. Baidu currently has over 300 million users.

"We've also partnered with the number one travel app in China, Qunar, to help Chinese travelers find information on flights, accommodation and holiday packages in Indonesia," Pitana said.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said Indonesia will have to compete with the rest of the world to win over the Chinese market — the largest in the world.

"More than 120 million Chinese travelers fly out of their country each year. They are also going more and more digital, 70 percent of Chinese travelers look, book and pay for flights and accommodations using digital [services]," Arief said.

Arief pointed out that tourists from China tend to spend a lot during their travels overseas. The average spending of Chinese tourists is $1,057 per person during a visit.

"Chinese tourists love beaches, and we have plenty of those. More and more of them also do a lot of shopping when they travel," Arief said.

Arief said the ministry had asked Sriwijaya Air and Garuda Indonesia to add more direct flights from China to Indonesia.

"Garuda should add more direct flights to and from China. Seven secondary cities in China still use chartered flights to travel to Indonesia. It would be better if scheduled flights are available," he said.

[lyndoncooper]

Cyber Security: Dating Fraud Reported Once Every Three Hours

One incident of dating fraud is now being reported around every three hours, according to an initiative warning of the dangers of con artists preying on people looking for romance.

Around seven reports of dating fraud on average are received every day by Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting service, equating to around one every three hours.

Typically, victims will make their first transfer of money to the fraudster within a month of contact. The average victim of dating fraud loses £10,000 according to the findings released ahead of Valentine's Day on Tuesday.

The figures were released as Victim Support, Age UK, the City of London Police, London Metropolitan Police and Get Safe Online said they would work in partnership with the Online Dating Association in efforts to better understand how fraudsters operate and reduce the number of people falling victim to dating fraud.

Tips for people using dating websites and apps using the hashtag #datesafe will be shared online.

Tony Neate, CEO of Get Safe Online, said that while many couples do meet online, the problem of cyber criminals targeting people for significant financial gain is growing.

He said: “£10,000 is a staggering amount for the average online dater to lose to a fraudster who they've been led to believe is the real deal. It's not just the financial loss though; dating fraud can have a huge emotional impact on a victim too.”

He said in some cases, people had lost everything – including their savings and their homes.

[lyndoncooper]

Careconnect Health Insurance Group Review: Getting Back in Shape – Safely

It may be cold, wet or slushy outside, but that’s no excuse to put off exercise until spring. And now that the New Year’s resolution crowds have started to peter out, this is a great time to get better acquainted with your local gym or fitness studio – especially because CareConnect will help pay for your gym membership if you go enough times! (Get the details on this sweet deal for members here.) If it’s been a long time since you last worked out, though, it’s important to start slow to keep the intimidation level and risk of injury low. Physical therapist Daniel Vaknin, assistant vice president of the Northwell Health Outpatient Rehabilitation Network, shares these tips for protecting yourself from injury and burn-out. Get clearance

First things first: If you’re a man over 45 or a woman over 55 and you haven’t exercised regularly in years, get approval from your doctor before you begin any new fitness routine. “Your doctor knows your health history and can weigh in as to what you’re in shape to do,” says Vaknin, including the type of exercise or intensity level that’s safe for you. Also see your doctor first if you have a significant preexisting medical condition. Get a little guidanceYou may not have an interest in starting a long-term relationship with a personal trainer, but springing for several sessions will be well worth the cost, says Vaknin. (Some gyms even offer a free introductory session to new members.) “It’s important to have a qualified professional set up a routine for you based on your goals, and show you correct form and safe practices,” he says. “When people get hurt at the gym, it’s usually because they never learned the right way to do something.” Get warm

Most people think that they need to stretch before exercising, but it’s actually more important to do a little warm-up before going full-out, says Vaknin. Nothing elaborate is required -- a five-minute walk on the treadmill or an easy spin on the stationary bike will help raise your heart rate gradually and lubricate your muscles and joints, so you’re less likely to hurt yourself once you pick up the pace or intensity. (As for stretching, research shows that it’s most effective when your muscles are warm, so consider doing that after your warm-up – or at the end of the exercise session.) Get real

Just because you can (barely) lift a 50-pound dumbbell doesn’t mean you should start there. “You should only go as heavy as you can while still maintaining proper form,” says Vaknin. As soon as your posture or your technique starts to suffer, you’re no longer going to benefit in the same way—and you’re more likely to injure yourself as well. The same goes for jogging or running. If you’re training for a 10K or a half marathon, increase your mileage slowly, and finish each training session feeling strong. It’s okay to feel a little sore the next day, but if you’re unable to recover within two days, that’s a sign you may be progressing too quickly. Get going!

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, mood, mind and health, says Vaknin – studies have shown that it reduces the risk of chronic disease, improves your mood, helps you control your weight and increases the likelihood that you’ll be around for a good long while. So why not check out the gym or fitness club? You just might find a favorite new routine.

[lyndoncooper]

Security and Risk Online - Western Union to pay $586 million fine to settle fraud charges

Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The largest money service business in the world agreed on Thursday to a half-billion dollar settlement over charges they failed to protect customers from fraud and permitted their agents to illegally launder money for customers.

Western Union will pay a $586 million fine after pleading guilty to charges of willfully failing to run an effective anti-money laundering program and aiding and abetting wire fraud with the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Attorneys' Offices of the Middle and Eastern districts of Pennsylvania, Central District of California and Southern District of Florida.

"Western Union owes a responsibility to American consumers to guard against fraud, but instead the company looked the other way, and its system facilitated scammers and rip-offs," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a press release. "The agreements we are announcing today will ensure Western Union changes the way it conducts its business and provides more than a half billion dollars for refunds to consumers who were harmed by the company's unlawful behavior."

Based on a complaint filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western Union violated U.S. laws when they processed thousands of transactions for Western Union agents and others as part of multiple national and international fraud schemes.

Among the allegations are criminals who contacted victims in the United States posing as family members, potential employers or people awarding some kind of prize asking for money to be wired to them. The company's agents were often complicit in the schemes, the FTC said, and sometimes took a cut of the money.

Previous cases have also established that Western Union failed to halt the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars to human traffickers in China and drug traffickers in other parts of the world, as well as not adhering to laws requiring verification and investigation of daily transfer limits.

The settlement requires Western Union to block money transfers to any person who is the subject of a fraud report, provide clear warnings to consumers about fraud on their paper and electronic forms, refund fraudulently induced money transfers if the company did not follow proper anti-fraud protocol and to increase the availability for how consumers can file fraud complaints.

Western Union will also be monitored by an independent auditor for its adherence to the telemarketing sales rule, which bars companies from processing transfers known to be fraud, or those the company "should know is payment for a telemarketing transaction."

Western Union said in a press release it has increased compliance consistently during the last five years and has dedicated about 20 percent of its employees to compliance functions, noting the issues it settled Thursday occurred mostly between 2004 and 2012.

"We share the government's goal of protecting consumers and the integrity of our global money transfer network, and we worked hard to resolve these matters with the government," Western Union said in the release. "We are committed to enhancing our compliance programs to prevent illicit activity on our network and protect customers who transfer money to friends, family and businesses."

[lyndoncooper]

Online Fraud Detection: Blockchain Can Be a Powerful Tool for Indian Businesses

Blockchain technology was developed to reinforce digital currency bitcoin, and is considered the most efficient technology against cyber fraud that allows financial transactions to be verified electronically over a network of computers.

While relatively nascent in India, the country too plans to embrace the Block Chain technology because of increased cybercrime in financial institutions. India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh has been named as the first in Asia to introduce the Block Chain Technology Institute last month. This technology ensures security and scale by using a dispersed network.

Alex Tapscott  in a Forbes report explains,blockchain is a vast, global distributed ledger or database running on millions of devices and open to anyone, where not just information but anything of value –like money and units of energy - can be moved and stored securely and privately peer to peer, and where trust is established, not by powerful intermediaries like banks, governments and technology companies, but rather through mass collaboration and clever code.

In India too, IT services and solutions companies are stepping in to leverage emerging blockchain technology applications for customers across market verticals.

Here are some sectors that plan to significantly invest on Blockchain.

BFSI

Banks are investing on implementing blockchain. This will resolve issues surrounding high rate on transactions and will allay the commotion expected from other financial institutions offering financial services at a lower cost than the banks themselves.

According to a blogpost on Infosys Finacle site by Rajashekara V. Maiya, blockchain technology has created a lot of buzz in the technology landscape compared to any other technology in the past. Perhaps, blockchain is considered to be the biggest disruption post ‘internet’.

A recent report by World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that 80 percent of banks are predicted to start blockchain projects by 2017 and $1.4 billion has been invested into the technology over the past three years. 90 central banks are looking at the technology. In the Indian context, even RBI is optimistic about advantages of using blockchain to prevent cheque frauds. There are many identity-related blockchain projects where organizations are focusing on know-your-customer (KYC) for banks.

Intellectual Property

With the rise of the internet, it is becoming increasingly difficult to protect digital intellectual property. Many new companies are coming up to address this issue with the aid of blockchain technology.  blockchain is mostly linked with bitcoin and cryptocurrency, but its realm speeds beyond that. As blockchain is used as a virtual decentralised ledger to track bitcoin transactions, it can also track the actual rights of all kinds of digital content and Intellectual property from logos, to music, to books, to everything.

Energy

According to a Finextra report, the energy sector has seen significant changes over the past few decades across generation, distribution, storage, and consumption. The result is a complex, non-transparent and inefficient energy market leading to a lot of waste. Put simply, there isn’t a single, publicly available ledger of all energy transactions that take place in the industry. Though the data is there, it is very fragmented, hard to interpret, and largely underused as a result.

Blockchain infrastructure would provide an open, transparent and timely way to record transactions in the energy business, from generation through consumption.

Supply Chain

Global supply chain can add transparency and auditability with blockchain technology. Every time a product changes hands, the transaction could be documented. This will create a permanent record of a product, from manufacture to sale. blockchain technology reduces leaks in the chain and reduce time delays, added costs, human error and insurance costs.

Also Internet-of-Things (IoT) plays a major role in this vertical. Here IoT sensors can record sessions of objects on the blockchain, which will provide data diligence and optimize cost.

Government

Government has innumerable data all across, so we can imagine the settlement of all the dissidence if blockchain is used. It can also bring more transparency to the tax structure and citizens could gage how the money is being spent.

Also by moving the registries to blockchain, government can save money, increase transparency, and cull corruption.

According to a IndiaToday report, in possibly a first in Asia, Andhra Pradesh government has introduced blockchain technology to prevent incidents of cybercrime. It has introduced the technology in some departments to protect the database from being hacked.

However, Eric Piscini in a TechTarget report opined, “Mass adoption will not happen unless we have a regulatory framework and today these frameworks are inconsistent at best, and nonexistent in a few cases.”

“In addition, our legal environment needs to evolve to account for specific smart contracts, which are business logic running on blockchain and automatically executed, to be recognized in court,” said Eric.

Clearly, with rapid adoption of blockchain technology, the enterprises offering the same have a huge potential market to tap in 2017 and beyond.

[lyndoncooper]

Tokyo MK Taxi Group Transfer Services: Taxi Fare

TAXI FARE Kanto Transportation Office Permission 2014/3/26

Fare Surcharge & Discount

*Discounts cannot be combined.

**Proof of age (over 65???) for seniors discount required.

It isn't possible to do the use of the disabled person discount and the respect for the old discount.

As for the respect for the old discount, the show of the document that the age which the official facilities issues can be confirmed and so on becomes necessary.

There is an other time system fare, too.

As for the wireless allocation, a car for pick-up fee is taken.

( Origin of the Kanto Land Transport Bureau guide )

The maximum allowed limit is 640 yen.

As for the wireless allocation, it doesn't adopt the wireless wait fee but we wait for it at the fare where will be to the time after arrival ( being after the elapse from 5 minutes ) to ( 5 minutes when waiting ).

For details on flat fares to and from Narita and Haneda airports

Taxi Rate Calculator

This is a taxi fare simulation created using the Google Maps route search function.

Enter your point of departure, destination, and transit points to calculate the distance, time required, and Tokyo MK Taxi meter fare for your trip.

*Caution: The information displayed (route, distance, time required, and meter fare) is only an estimate, and cannot be guaranteed.

[lyndoncooper]

Coalition Against Insurance Fraud - Arsonist to insurers: Check fire claims more closely

Closer look deters arsonists, discovers scams, benefits all policyholders

Kenny Allen was a likable fellow. He went to church, coached youth basketball in the Muncie, Ind. area, and was making his way through life with limitless potential ahead.

He also lived in a secret world: He was an insurance thief. Kenny was a driving force behind the largest home arson ring in Indiana history. And one of the largest ever in the U.S. His gang helped torch at least 73 buildings while he sang hymns of righteousness in pews.

Insurers were easy to defraud, Allen says. Their adjusters were so intent on making customers happy — he contends — that they rarely asked tough questions. Insurers could’ve quickly exposed the claims for burned homes as money grabs with a little more effort.

Kenny went straight after nearly five years in federal prison. He admits he screwed up, and today gives workshops for investigators to help make amends. He partners with Mike Vergon, the former ATF agent who arrested him. They’re friends and supporters in life — a touching story of Kenny’s redemption.

Yet his saga speaks to a bigger dilemma for insurers. If they investigate too many claims too closely, they risk policyholders thinking they’re cold and money-grubbing.

If insurers let too many suspect claims slide through too easily, they risk being prey for hunters like Kenny was. This slippery slope can grow fraud losses, help raise premiums and — yes — reinforce a belief among many consumers that insurers are cold and money-grubbing.

Life isn’t always fair when you’re an insurance company, no matter how many good deeds you perform. Corporations are targets of consumer upset simply because they’re big and make money.

Checking closely into suspicious claims can trigger a lot of emotions. Fair or not, people’s feelings of aggrievement or entitlement can quickly damage an insurer’s reputation. Especially when viral social posts can reach millions of sympathetic consumers in just hours.

Over the longterm, it’s a risk worth taking, and a story worth telling.

Insurers should do a far better job of telling people why they fight fraud — and why all policyholders benefit.

Being justifiably known for protecting policyholders from thieves seems like a pretty good way to build a business brand. And doing right by consumers.

If Kenny Allen’s right, taking the easy way out could’ve cost insurers more than millions in false arson claims. He’s the first to admit, it’s a miracle nobody died in his fires.

[lyndoncooper]

Bacall Conniff and Associates Review: 30 years of exceptional restaurant and hospitality accounting services

Within the financial district of Boston, Massachusetts lies the firm of Bacall Conniff and Associates, which is known as a source of “bean-counter” CPAs. Being very meticulous in performing their job is basically the primary trait of “bean-counter” CPAs. It is described to as an accountant who will give great importance to every minor detail in the inventory and books of a company and doesn’t forget to check each of them.

Aside from the capabilities they achieved over the years, Bacall Conniff and Associates as a professional accounting and consulting company also possesses incomparable skills that showcase their simplicity and ease in performing their jobs. In order to fulfill the needs of their clients, those CPAs are always ready to become extra meticulous in their jobs. Furthermore, bookkeeping and other financial tasks serve as the foundation for a solid and profitable business operation.

The trust and confidence clients put on Bacall Conniff and Associates can be verified by a lot of respected organizations such as the National Society of Accountants, the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Massachusetts Association of Public Accountants, the National Conference of CPA Practitioners and the National Association of Tax Professionals.

Bacall Conniff achieved their reputation through simple and effective ways. Their aim is to always help their clients attain their individual and corporate financial objectives in a simple yet effective manner. The firm only experiences satisfaction once their clients achieve success. The firm also never fails to keep a close collaboration with their clients and provide excellent professional service that meets their needs.

It is not surprising that all members of their staff cover a broad range of capabilities since the firm requires its employees to devote themselves in an unending pursuit of professional growth through education. It also needs its partners to acquire an advanced degree in business or taxation, and of every staff member to maintain the same standard. Each of them is hard-working and possesses a strong dedication to their job.

Clients who desire a meaningful and productive relationship, as well as potential employees who wish to learn and provide beneficial opportunities for themselves and others, are welcome at Bacall Conniff and Associates to ask for necessary guidance.

[lyndoncooper]

Haws Corporation Tempered Water Nevada USA, Singapore: Care and Repair

Here at Haws we are frequently asked if there are any periodic maintenance tips that we can offer for installed products. All Emergency Equipment is required to be activated weekly by ANSI. Purging the standing water out of the lines reduces buildup of stagnate water and helps remove rust from pipes in galvanized units.

In addition, purging helps guarantee that the water supply has not been inadvertently turned off, that there are not any missing or broken parts and most importantly that the units are working properly. Eyewash maintenance is especially important. In most units there is a SP509 inline screen strainer between the eyewash valve and bowl that must be periodically cleaned. The strainer cap must be removed by a 3/8” hex wrench and the screen can then be accessed and cleaned. During the weekly testing it is also crucial to check pathways leading to the unit to make sure there are not any obstructions that would hinder the access and use of the unit.

Drinking Fountains from 2003 to now have a front access 5874 push button valve which has a screen strainer under the cartridge that should be periodically cleaned depending on site conditions. In order to clean the strainer, water must be shut off to the unit and using the spanner wrench that comes with the unit, remove the push button, the inside ring nut and cartridge. The gasket screen should come out with the cartridge and should be cleaned thoroughly.

Water coolers also need periodic cleaning. The fan blows air over the condenser fins, so the condenser should be vacuumed every 6 months to remove lint and dust that builds up (cleaning may be need to occur more often if the unit is in a dirty environment). This is crucial to the proper functioning of the unit, because lint and dirt buildup causes the unit to overheat due to the restricted air flow. This overheating can lead to shortening the life of the unit, and even to damaging the compressor.

For all products it is important to rinse and wipe off the unit regularly to prevent dirt build-up that could potentially hinder the effectiveness of the unit.

[lyndoncooper]

Fraud Labs Pro Fraud Detection and Fraud Detection Solutions: How is the sequence of execution of fraud validation rules?

FraudLabs Pro allows user to configure multiple fraud validation rules with multiple actions, such as Approve, Manual Review, and Reject. But, how is the sequence of execution if I had configured multiple validation rules with different actions? Below are the explanations of the execution logic.

FraudLabs Pro adopts an easy-to-understand sequential checking for the validation rules. It basically checks the validation rules starting from the 1st rule to the last one in the sequence. If the system found the match during the sequential check, it will stop the checking process and flag the transaction based on the action defined. However, if the system completed the sequential check with no match found, it will flag the transaction as Approve. It's as simple as explained. Below is the summary of the validation logic:

·         If match found during the sequential check, stop the checking process and flag the transaction based on the action defined, such as Approve, Manual Review or Reject.

·         If sequential check completed with no match found, flag the transaction as Approve.

Example of validation scenarios.

Assuming you created 3 validation rules for Free Email, Email in Blacklist and Anonymous Proxy as above. (Note: to ease the explanation, this tutorial will not display the exact rule name but a short representation)

Scenario 1: User's email address is a yahoo email.

The validation process will be stopped at Rule #1 and the transaction will be flagged as Manual Review.

Scenario 2: User's email address is a company email but had been previously blacklisted by FraudLabs Pro.

Rule #1 pass the validation. However, the validation process will be stopped at Rule #2 and the transaction will be flagged as Reject.

Scenario 3: User's email address is a company email with clean record, and not using Anonymous Proxy.

The validation process completed successfully and the transaction will be flagged as Approve.

[lyndoncooper]

Frank Owens LTD Home Building Industry - Filing History

22 Dec 2015        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2015      

26 Nov 2015        Annual return made up to 18 November 2015 with full list of shareholders Statement of capital on 2015-11-26

GBP 2

17 Dec 2014        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2014      

26 Nov 2014        Annual return made up to 18 November 2014 with full list of shareholders Statement of capital on 2014-11-26

GBP 2

20 Dec 2013        Annual return made up to 18 November 2013 with full list of shareholders Statement of capital on 2013-12-20

GBP 2

20 Dec 2013        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2013      

21 Dec 2012        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2012      

28 Nov 2012        Annual return made up to 18 November 2012 with full list of shareholders          

04 Jan 2012         Annual return made up to 18 November 2011 with full list of shareholders          

24 Nov 2011        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2011      

17 Jan 2011         Annual return made up to 18 November 2010 with full list of shareholders          

24 Nov 2010        Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2010      

22 Apr 2010         Annual return made up to 18 November 2009 with full list of shareholders

22 Apr 2010         Director's details changed for Francis Gareth Owens on 18 November 2009

22 Apr 2010         Secretary's details changed for Francis Gareth Owens on 18 November 2009

22 Apr 2010         Director's details changed for Damian Owens on 18 November 2009

31 Jan 2010         Total exemption small company accounts made up to 31 March 2009

09 Feb 2009        18/11/08 annual return shuttle  

22 Jan 2009         31/03/08 annual accts    

10 Feb 2008        18/11/07 annual return shuttle  

09 Feb 2008        31/03/07 annual accts    

24 Jan 2007         31/03/06 annual accts    

27 Nov 2006        18/11/06 annual return shuttle  

28 Feb 2006        31/03/05 annual accts    

15 Dec 2005        18/11/05 annual return shuttle  

02 Dec 2004        18/11/04 annual return shuttle  

01 Dec 2004        31/03/04 annual accts    

17 Sep 2004        Change of ARD  

23 Dec 2003        Return of allot of shares              

17 Dec 2003        18/11/03 annual return shuttle  

24 Apr 2003         Updated mem and arts

24 Apr 2003         Change in sit reg add

24 Apr 2003         Change of dirs/sec          

24 Apr 2003         Change of dirs/sec          

24 Apr 2003         Change of dirs/sec          

24 Apr 2003         Resolutions

Special/extra resolution

03 Apr 2003         Resolution to change name        

18 Nov 2002        Pars re dirs/sit reg off

This document is currently unavailable, a copy can be ordered from the Contact Centre. Telephone +44

(0)303 1234 500. There is a £3.00 charge per document.

18 Nov 2002        Decln complnce reg new co

This document is currently unavailable, a copy can be ordered from the Contact Centre. Telephone [phone]. There is a £3.00 charge per document.

18 Nov 2002        Articles

This document is currently unavailable, a copy can be ordered from the Contact Centre. Telephone [phone]. There is a £3.00 charge per document.

18 Nov 2002        Memorandum

This document is currently unavailable, a copy can be ordered from the Contact Centre. Telephone [phone]. There is a £3.00 charge per document.

[lyndoncooper]

Best IT Employers for the 5th Consecutive Year

FINRA Named One of the Best IT Employers for the 5th Consecutive Year

According to IDG’s Computerworld, FINRA ranks as one of the best places to work in information technology, specifically in the field of financial regulation. It is the fifth consecutive year that FINRA made it to Computerworld’s list of top 100 companies.

Computerworld’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Steve Randich said, “FINRA has a lot to provide technologists in terms of a chance to work in pioneering the causes of investor protection and market integrity. We’re proud that Computerworld has contributed to empowering technologists to produce and innovate in accordance to FINRA’s stable role in financial regulation.”

Randich cited as a prime example Comuterworld’s use of the cloud to make storage and processing of vast amounts of information scalable and safe. It has also included improved facility in performing regulatory analysis by technologists. He also said that producing open-source software and hosting hackathons has allowed their technology group in a dynamic environment, inside and outside the company.  

In this year’s list of Best Places to Work in IT, Computerworld had this to say about FINRA, “The employees at this independent, non-governmental regulatory office of securities companies are fully aware that their employer supports them a 100%.” He adds, “FINRA also provides ample parental leave benefits for child birth or adoption, gives a maximum of $5,000 for every child for adoption-related expenses, money for additional emergency support when regular child-care or elder-care is not available, and allows adjustable work schedules to aid workers balance their job and family concerns.

Moreover, FINRA gives workers two paid-vacation-days each year to do social outreach in their communities and their chosen charities.”

This year’s Best Places to Work in IT list have made it to the magical circle of organizations which have produced an innovative and fulfilling IT work environment,” stated Scot Finnie, Computerworld’s Editor-in-Chief. “In a highly competitive world of tech skills, these excellent employers can draw highly-talented IT professionals by offering attractive fringe benefits, fresh educational opportunities, utilization of cutting-edge digital systems and challenging, business-centered ventures.”

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is recognized as the biggest independent securities regulation agency for all firms operating in the United States. FINRA commits to safeguard the interests of the investor as well as the integrity of the securities market through efficient regulation and appurtenant compliance and technology-based systems. FINRA covers substantially every aspect of the securities market – beginning with registration and education of all industry players to evaluation of securities companies, writing regulations, enforcement of such regulations and the federal securities laws, and the education of the investing public in general. Moreover, FINRA conducts investigations and other regulatory tasks for equities and options markets, including trade updates and other related industry services. Finally, FINRA serves as the main administrator for resolutions of disputes for investors and securities firms.

[lyndoncooper]

A huge variety of insects pollinate wild plants and food crops but they and their habitats are under threat. Get Bristol Buzzing is uniting projects across Greater Bristol to help make the city a better place for pollinating insects, such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Seven partner organisations have developed a Greater Bristol Pollinator Strategy that will unite individuals and organisations to achieve shared aims and actions for pollinators. We are now inviting you to sign up to support the Strategy and asking you to tell us what you are doing to help pollinating insects – whether it’s a small patch of wild flowers in your garden or a community wild flower meadow, every little helps! All activities will be displayed on the My Wild City map and you will be able to obtain Get Bristol Buzzing branding for your project to show that you are supporting the Strategy.

To find out what you can do visit Get Bristol Buzzing to see our five top tips for helping pollinators and to download useful resources, including advice on how to sow a flower meadow and plants that are good to grow in allotments.

And if you have received some of our Get Bristol Buzzing seeds this year, do let us know the results – tell us what you've done so we can add your site to our map. You can also tweet a photo with #getbristolbuzzing to show how you are helping pollinators!

Updates on pollinator activities…

JULY 2016

1. Bees Needs Week

Bees Needs Week (9 - 17 July) aims to raise awareness of pollinator needs and encourage everyone to take action to support pollinators.

Follow #BeesNeeds on twitter to find out more about the campaign and tweet your pollinator questions to charities, businesses and bee experts.

2. RHS & University of Bristol Survey

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the University of Bristol are asking gardeners to take part in a new study to identify the most commonly planted pollinator-friendly plants and assess how good UK gardens are for pollinators. The UK's 27 million gardeners, from window sill and urban gardeners to more traditional horticulturists, are being asked to complete an online survey that will help the charity better understand how widely gardeners plant for pollinators.

3. Urban Pollinators films on You Tube

The Urban Pollinators Project team has produced a series of short films about our research and how you can help pollinators in urban areas.

The seven films cover a range of topics including our research findings to date as well as top tips for allotment holders, practitioners and policymakers on helping pollinators in urban areas. Enjoy!

DECEMBER 2015

1. Sign up to support the Greater Bristol Pollinator Strategy

The Get Bristol Buzzing initiative is underpinned by the Greater Bristol Pollinator Strategy launched in 2015. This local pollinator strategy for the Greater Bristol urban area, based on Defra’s National Pollinator Strategy, unites organisations and individuals in working towards shared aims and actions to help pollinating insects across the city.

We would like to invite organisations and individuals to sign up to support the Strategy and tell us how you are helping pollinating insects – whether it’s a small patch of wild flowers in your garden or a community wild flower meadow, every little helps! Please tell us about what you have been doing in 2015 so we have a record of all of the wonderful things that have been happening in Bristol’s Green Capital year. We would also like to hear about what you are planning for 2016 so that we can feed this information into the Strategy Implementation Plan for 2016.

All activities will be displayed on the My Wild City interactive map and you will be able to obtain Get Bristol Buzzing branding for your project to show that you are supporting the Strategy.

2. “Bees Needs” resources available

Defra has created a “Bees’ Needs” website with the Wildlife Trust to support the National Pollinator Strategy for England. The website contains lots of useful resources on creating and managing pollinator habitat including case studies and information sheets to inspire local authorities, gardeners and other landowners.

3. “Urban Buzz” coming to Bristol

Buglife recently launched ‘Urban Buzz’ a new national project that will transform urban sites to help pollinators in eight towns and cities in England and Wales over three years. We’re excited to announce that Bristol has been selected as one of the eight ‘Buzzing Cities’ and the Buglife team will be working in Bristol from 2017. Watch out for updates in future newsletters on how you can get involved with this fantastic new project and visit the project website to find out more information.

4. Date for your diary: National Meadows Day on 2nd July 2016

The first National Meadows Day took place in 2015 as part of the Save Our Magnificent Meadows campaign. The next National Meadows Day will take place on 2nd July 2016. To find out about events taking place near you please visit the Magnificent Meadows website. If you’d like to link an event you are planning to National Meadows Day, or for more information about National Meadows Day or Save Our Magnificent Meadows please contact Fiona Perez at Plantlife at [email protected].

5. West of England B-Lines update

The West of England B-Lines project is transforming habitat for pollinators across the West of England, including in urban Bristol. The first 18 months of the project has proven to be a great success! Between April 2014 and September 2015 the project has restored and created over 110 hectares of wildflower-rich habitat, providing important areas for our pollinating insects to forage, nest, shelter and over-winter. Avon Wildlife Trusts Grassland Restoration Team volunteers have put in an amazing 533 days of their time, undertaking a wide range of conservation tasks including scrub management, grassland cutting, seed collecting and sowing. Buglife and Avon Wildlife Trust would like to thank project funders, partners, supporters, landowners, communities and all those who have engaged in the project so far. Thanks to further funding from Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust the project is able to continue delivering habitat improvements on the ground to benefit wildlife and communities.

6. St George in Bloom selected as national finalist

St George in Bloom was the first community group to take up the Get Bristol Buzzing challenge and incorporate planting for pollinators into their planting schemes in 2015. Not only did they win a Gold Pennant award and also trophy for Best Urban Community entry in 2015, St. George in Bloom has been selected by the Royal Horticultural Society to be a national finalist to represent the St George area of Bristol and the entire South West region as an urban entry in the RHS national competition in 2016. Many congratulations to all involved and to find out more about St George in Bloom please visit the website.

Tell us your pollinator news!

Do you have any news about activities you have been involved in in 2015 or upcoming events in 2016 to add to the next Get Bristol Buzzing newsletter? If so please send a short paragraph (max 200 words) and a photograph if possible to [email protected] before 10th January 2016.

SEPTEMBER 2015

1. Green Treasure Hunt highlights pollinating insects

On 1st August a 'Green Treasure Hunt' around Bishopston, Cotham and Redland was launched as part of the Bristol Green Capital Neighbourhood Arts Programme. The trail takes you on a journey of discovery through treasured green spaces and independent shopping delights, woven through the quiet backstreets of the neighbourhoods. It is linked together via five 'street pockets' designed to inspire participants on green issues and 10 hidden art works en-route. The Nature-themed street pocket is a Mazda X5 sports car adorned with pollinator-friendly flowers to highlight the importance of pollinating insects for everyday life.

Do visit the Nature street pocket on the corner of Cotham Hill and Hampton Park and go to www.greentreasure.net to find a map of the whole route. A huge thank you to Cleeve Nursery for the beautiful pollinator-friendly flowers and planting assistance.

2. Mini-meadows brighten up Bristol streets

Bristol City Council have been growing up mini-meadows in planters and have recently distributed these around the city to brighten up the city streets including Queens Road and the Bear Pit – keep an eye out and let us know if you find any!

3. Getting St George Buzzing

Residents in Kensington Road, St George, Bristol have been busy enhancing the street and have planted pollinator friendly plants. These have been located around the 14 street trees, and all the residents have also set up colourful window boxes, hanging baskets and containers in their small front gardens. Kathryn Lwin, Founder and Director of River of Flowers, visited the street earlier this year to give advice, and she also produced a street planting plan. The residents were given a generous sponsorship donation from Natracare Ltd, and this enabled them to purchase the plants and complete the project. Grenville Johnson Chair of the residents group and Chair of St. George in Bloom commented ‘There has been a significant increase in the numbers of pollinating insects that are visiting the street. The street is really buzzing! ’St George in Bloom have been the first community group to take up the Get Bristol Buzzing challenge. For more information visit their website at: www.stgeorgeinbloom.org.uk

4. Bristol selected for Defra research on pollinators

On 4th August Bristol residents gathered at Bristol East Allotments Association headquarters in St George for a pollinator-themed creativity workshop. This was held as part of a Defra research project that is exploring the social and cultural values of pollinators. The process used meditative walks through the allotments, discussion, visual art and the creation of short movement texts to help explore in depth the many ways that we can value and appreciate pollinators. The stunning setting at this allotment site together with spectacular views over the city of Bristol proved to be a stimulating and inspiring venue for all the attendees, and this was a successful and enjoyable day.

West of England B-Lines in Bristol

Buglife and Avon Wildlife Trust are working with project partner Bristol City Council to restore wildflower-rich habitats on two of their sites within the West of England B-Lines network in the Hengrove area of the Bristol - Hawkfield Meadow and Hengrove Mounds. Earlier this year contractors installed a gate and cleared an existing pathway to allow machinery access to Hawkfield Meadow. This grassland will now be cut on an annual basis which will help to improve the diversity of the sword.

Later this month AWTs Grassland Restoration Team and My Wild City volunteers will be meeting at nearby Hengrove Mounds to cut areas of the grassland which have become quite rank, with a dense thatch of vegetation forming underneath. Using traditional management methods such as scything we will cut the grassland and remove the cut material to a compost area. Again this is intended to improve the floral diversity of the grassland for the benefit of pollinating insects, other wildlife and those who visit the site.

[lyndoncooper]

In Washington, D.C.:

Vanessa Bauza, IFC

Phone: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]

In Panama City:

Khadine Sanhueza, AES

Phone: [phone]

Email: [email protected]

Panama City, Panama – August 2, 2016 — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has completed a $150 million financing package for the construction and operation of Central America’s first integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power facility. It will ease the dependence on imported fossil fuels and help mitigate electricity shortages by introducing a clean, cost-effective and reliable new energy source to the region.

The project, AES Colón, consists of a 380 megawatt gas-fired power plant and an onshore LNG import and regasification terminal with an 180,000 cubic meter storage tank.  The facility is expected to displace at least 2,100 gigawatt hours of power currently generated from heavy fuel oil and diesel, thereby avoiding about one million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. That is roughly equivalent to taking more than 200,000 cars off the road. Once operational, the project will offset about 4 percent of Panama’s carbon dioxide emissions each year.

AES Colón has a total project cost of approximately $1 billion.  Additional capital for the project has been secured through other financial institutions, along with equity investments from the AES Corporation and the Panama-based Motta Group.  

“We are honored to have IFC joining us in this transformational project, through which we reaffirm our commitment to Panama and the region,” said Gustavo Pimenta, CFO for AES’s Mexico, Central America and Caribbean Strategic Business Unit. “AES Colón will generate significant benefits to the country and contribute to its sustainable development by diversifying the energy matrix with clean natural gas, while providing an avenue for the transformation of other adjacent industries within the regional economy.”

In addition to its direct benefits, natural gas offers synergies with renewable energy. The LNG facility will provide cleaner and more affordable base load power to complement the inherent variability of wind and solar energy. This will make it possible to integrate more renewable power projects into the grid, while balancing electric system loads and ensuring a continuous supply of electricity.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with IFC on this important project to establish the first LNG plant in Central America,” said Stanley A. Motta, President of Motta Group. “Bringing clean power to Panama is a project we and AES have been working on for some time. We are proud to see it become a reality.”  

Panama is projected to be Latin America’s fastest-growing economy over the next five years. However, infrastructure investments, particularly to increase power generation, have lagged. The Panamanian government projects a 5 percent annual increase in the country’s energy demands, which will require significant investments.

“This LNG to power facility is a game-changer for Panama,” said Giancarlo Ortega, IFC Principal Investment Officer. “It leverages an expected growth in natural gas and provides a low-carbon power source for Panama, which has been heavily dependent on seasonal hydropower and vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. Introducing LNG as a fuel for electricity will significantly transform the country’s energy matrix, supporting a critical component of its growth strategy.”

Introducing LNG is also expected to have broad impacts beyond the power sector: This integrated facility enables industrial users in shipping, transportation and other sectors to convert from using oil products to natural gas. Located on Panama’s Atlantic coast, the plant will become operational in the first half of 2018. AES expects to generate approximately up to 2,000 direct jobs during construction.

Since 2010, IFC has provided $1.3 billion for Central America’s power sector, including mobilizations from other financial institutions. These projects include, among others, UEP Penonomé II, the largest wind farm in Central America; three solar power plants in Honduras; and the Reventazón hydropower plant, which will bring electricity to half a million homes in Costa Rica. With this LNG to power facility, IFC has supported the financing of over 1.25 GW of new generation capacity in the region in that timeframe.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY16, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org

About AES Corporation

The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 17 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce of 21,000 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world’s changing power needs. Our 2015 revenues were $15 billion and we own and manage $37 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.

Since 1999, AES Panama and AES Changuinola, the AES affiliates operating in Panamá, have invested approximately $1,3 billion in assets and currently have 777 MW of installed capacity. With the most recent addition of AES Colón, AES will have an additional 380 MW in its generation portfolio and will continue to help reduce the dependency of the country on oil derivatives.

About Motta Group

The Motta Group is a Panama-based family-owned regional conglomerate that invests in and actively oversees a broad portfolio of companies in aviation, financial services, telecommunications, energy, media, logistics, real estate, and wholesale and retail distribution. The most significant ones are Copa Airlines, the NYSE-listed flagship air carrier of Panama; Banco General and ASSA Compañía de Seguros, Central America’s largest locally-owned bank and insurance company, respectively;  Cable Onda, Panama’s top provider of pay TV and internet; TVN, open television provider; AES Colon, Central America’s first LNG power plant and terminal; Manzanillo International Terminal, one of Latin America’s largest container ports by volume; Motta Internacional, the Colon Free Zone’s oldest company, whose Attenza duty free business is present in more than seven countries in Latin America; and Juegos de Video de Latinoamerica, a joint venture with NYSE-listed GameStop. The Motta Group is headed by Mr. Stanley Motta, a recognized and successful entrepreneur.

[lyndoncooper]

Heimdal Security Company: The Best Encrypted Messaging Apps You Can (and Should) Use Today

If you want to see all the best encrypted messaging apps in one place, then this is the guide you’re looking for.

We did a roundup of these encrypted apps because the battle for our data is fiercer than ever. Governments crave for it, companies seek access to it, and cyber criminals probably want it the most.

But what’s so special about my data?

The fact that it’s yours and it can be monetized one way or another, by any of the entities listed above.

Wake-up call: the data you share in your IMs

Today I’m going to focus on a big chunk of your data that I bet you disregard as unimportant: the information stored and share in instant messages and text messages.

Messaging, either via the Internet or through good, ol’ SMSs, is today’s go-to communication method. No doubt about it.

Younger generations – from Y to Z – would rather text than call someone at any time of day and night (myself included). And not only them. Employees in companies of all types and sizes are heavily using instant messaging apps as well.

This means that a huge amount of data is stored, transmitted and shared through these messages.

Data like:

And this doesn’t happen only on mobile devices. Now instant messaging apps are cross-platform, so you can sync your conversation across your smartphone, tablet and desktop. Messaging apps also offer the option to be used for both online IMs and SMSs.

Everything is just a click or a tap away. But not only for you.

You may think you’re sharing data confidentially when using Facebook Messenger, Skype or Snapchat, but sometimes it’s just an illusion.

Without end-to-end encryption, your conversations are right in the crosshairs of cyber criminals, government meddling and amoral marketers.

Here’s a recent example of how security holes in these apps can expose your data to malware and other cyber threats:

“The Check Point security research team discovered a vulnerability in Facebook’s Messenger (both the online version and the mobile app) that would allow an attacker to modify the contents of someone’s chat history as well as give them the ability to spread malware through the chat service. […] This vulnerability existed because messages are normally stored on Facebook’s servers, and Facebook could also modify the messages itself if it so desired. The attackers are simply using a capability that Facebook already has. “

Do I have your attention now?

Good.

Because you’re going to want to find out about this.  

CONTINUE HERE to find out more…

[lyndoncooper]

Irregular adoptions – Adoption fraud

Intercountry adoptions are very complex because they must follow laws set out by:

·         provincial and territorial governments

·         the Government of Canada, and

·         the country of adoption.

 We make sure that immigration or citizenship requirements have been met before granting permanent status to an adoptive child. For more information on the process, read about CIC’s role

 Be cautious – adopting a child from overseas can be complicated

 Sometimes, prospective parents try to speed up the process by taking matters into their own hands. Although the vast majority of adoptions progress smoothly, adoptive parents should use caution throughout the process.

 You should contact the government of the province or territory you live in to obtain the most up-to-date information about the adoption process, and to ensure that the adoption meets all their requirements.

 To avoid unnecessary expense and disappointment, adoptive parents should not plan to return to Canada with the adopted child until they know for certain that all immigration or citizenship requirements have been met.

 Don’t let this happen to you

 The following stories are based on real experiences of intercountry adoptions. They are meant to demonstrate some of the problems that can arise in the process. These types of situations may be avoided by contacting your province or territory of residence to obtain the most up-to-date information about the adoption process.

 Disclaimer

 The families described are not real. The names are fictitious and the stories may combine details from several adoption cases.

 Pierre and Maria’s story

 Like many couples who decide to adopt, Pierre and Maria had been trying to conceive for several years.

 They began the process of adopting a child overseas and were told they could be matched with a child in two years. But Pierre and Maria did not want to wait any longer to have a child, as they had already experienced such a long, frustrating and emotional journey.

 A friend who worked in a hospital overseas told them about a baby who was abandoned by his mother and offered to help the couple adopt him. She assured Pierre and Maria that she had many contacts in the local government and could help them with the paperwork.

 Pierre and Maria decided to bring the abandoned child to Canada in order to adopt him in their province. Over the next several months, they received pictures of the baby, furnished his room, and bought him clothing and toys. Pierre filled out many forms, including the CIC forms to sponsor the child for permanent residence in Canada, and his friend helped with the paperwork on the child’s end.

 Once they thought all of the paperwork was in order, Pierre and Maria scheduled the next flight to the country where the baby was. The long-awaited moment to meet the boy had arrived, and their dream of having a family was about to come true.

 Meanwhile at the local Canadian visa office, Janine, a visa officer had been working on the couple’s adoption file. Although Pierre and Maria had submitted what they thought was the necessary documents, Janine had serious concerns about the child’s history.

 When Pierre and Maria arrived at the visa office with the child in tow, expecting to get a visa within days, Janine had to inform the couple of the visa refusal. She explained that without the proper documents, there was no way of proving that the child was legally available for adoption. She had no choice but to deny their application.

 Stunned, disappointed and angry, Pierre and Maria returned home childless.

 Stefan and Nicole’s story

 Stefan and Nicole had been researching adoption agencies online for several months before selecting one that promised quick and efficient intercountry adoptions. Unbeknownst to Stefan and Nicole, many cases handled by their chosen agency were under investigation.

 Stefan and Nicole eagerly proceeded with the adoption process and provided the agency with the necessary documents. Soon after, the agency informed the couple that they had been matched with a little girl. The agency mailed pictures to Stefan and Nicole, who were ecstatic to share their good news with family and friends. A few months later they received an update from the agency on the status of the adoption and they booked the next flight to meet the little girl and pick up her visa.

 Upon arrival, Stefan and Nicole could not wait to meet the little girl and bring her back home with them to Canada. They arrived at the Canadian visa office, expecting to receive a valid visa for the child. The couple was completely shocked when the visa officer told them that the visa had not been approved.

 The officer explained that the adoption file had been poorly prepared, the documents submitted were poorly translated and there were gaps in the information provided, which caused concern as to the circumstances surrounding the legality of the adoption. Devastated by this news, Stefan and Nicole were informed that they would have to re-submit certain documents through the host country’s judicial or adoption system. They were also informed that the process could take another few months. The officer would also need to investigate.

 In order to avoid further disappointment and expense, the visa officer suggested that Stefan and Nicole wait to hear news from the visa office that all requirements were met before returning for the visa.  

 After months of having waited for their little girl, Stefan and Nicole returned to Canada without her.

 Seven months later, Stefan and Nicole received the news they had been waiting for. Their little girl’s visa was ready. They booked the next flight and were finally able to meet her. From that point the process went smoothly, and a week later Stefan and Nicole were back in Canada with their new daughter.

 Elena and Brian’s story

 Elena and Brian had been keen on adopting a child from within their province. They had started the preliminary work for the application process when they came across an adoption agency specializing in intercountry adoptions, which promised faster adoption times. Hopeful and eager to start their family, Elena and Brian turned to intercountry adoption.

 The agency soon matched Elena and Brian with a two-year-old girl and assured them a quick and simple process. They were told that they could expect to bring the little girl home in less than six months. Excited by this news, Elena and Brian spent the next months completing the necessary home study, gathering the required documents, finalizing the financial commitments, and getting their house ready in time for the child’s arrival.

 A week before the flight to go meet the child, Elena and Brian contacted the Canadian visa office to ensure the paper work was complete. They were then told that the file was not ready and that it was under investigation.

 The visa office told them that there were concerns with the accuracy of the information provided on the birth certificate as well as serious concerns about how the child had come to be available for adoption, and that they were looking into the possibility of child trafficking. The visa office explained that in cases of potential child trafficking, additional verifications must be done to ensure the best interests of the child are respected.

 Under the impression that the child had been abandoned as an infant, Elena and Brian were shocked by the news that this may not be the case. They later found out that many other adoptions from that particular country were also being held up or suspended because of fraud and child trafficking concerns.

 Know More. Visit: http://www.globalsingapore.sg/