Deep-sea cannibal fish wash up along Oregon shoreline, baffling scientists
By Katherine Donlevy

NY POST
May 6, 2023 

Several Lancetfish have washed ashore on Oregon beaches over the past few weeks, leaving scientists baffled.Oregeon State Park/Facebook

Something about this smells fishy.

Scientists have been left baffled after several cannibalistic “twilight zone” creatures washed up on Oregon’s beaches in recent weeks.

Multiple lancetfish — one of the ocean’s largest fish that live about a mile below the surface — were found strewn across a 220-mile swath of the state’s coastline.

“No one is sure why they are washing ashore,” the state parks department said.

But not all of the famously carnivorous and hermaphroditic creatures are washing up dead.

At least one fish was found on the beaches still alive; it was “helped back to the ocean and it swam off.”

Lancetfish — whose scientific name Alepisaurus means “scaleless lizard” — live mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, but they migrate as far north as subarctic areas like Alaska’s Bering Sea to feed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service.

Though they can be found in shallow waters, their preferred habitat is in the twilight zone, which lies between 650 and 3,3000 feet below the surface.

Multiple lancetfish were found strewn across a 220-mile swath of the state’s coastline.AP

At least one fish was found on the beaches still alive; it was “helped back to the ocean and it swam off.”AP

What do you think? Post a comment.

The lancetfish are not typically known to wander close to North American shorelines.

Scientists theorize the lancets that are washing up could be suffering from injuries, or are ill and can’t swim effectively.

They are think recent storms could have caused their arrival.

Several scaleless fish with fanged jaws and huge eyes that can be found more than a mile deep in the ocean have washed up along a roughly 200-mile (322-kilometer) stretch of Oregon coastline. (Twitter)

Freaky-looking’ fanged fishes found on US beaches

The Associated Press
Published: 06 May ,2023

Several scaleless fish with fanged jaws and huge eyes that can be found more than a mile deep in the ocean have washed up along a roughly 200-mile (322-kilometer) stretch of Oregon coastline, and it’s unclear why, scientists and experts said.

Within the last few weeks, several lancetfish have appeared on beaches from Nehalem, in northern Oregon, to Bandon, which is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the California border, Oregon State Parks said on Facebook.

The agency asked beachgoers who see the fish to take photos and post them online, tagging the agency and the NOAA Fisheries West Coast region.

Lancetfish live mainly in tropical and subtropical waters but travel as far north as areas like Alaska’s Bering Sea to feed. Their slinky bodies include a “sail-like” fin, and their flesh is gelatinous — not generally something humans wish to eat, according to NOAA Fisheries.


Ben Frable, a fish scientist who manages the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, said it’s not uncommon for lancetfish to wash up on beaches, particularly in California and Oregon and in other parts of the north Pacific.

It’s unclear what might be behind the deep-sea fish washing ashore, Frable said, calling it an area of “open research.” He added that it’s not clear if these incidents are happening more frequently or are just noticed more often in the social media age.

Reports of finding the “freaky looking” lancetfish on beaches date back to the 19th century, he said. The collection he manages includes lancetfish from beaches, including one that wound up on the beach near the institution in late 2021.

In that case, the lancetfish “shot out of the water,” where it was mobbed by seagulls, Frable said. It’s possible the fish had been chasing prey, such as small fish, and got too close to shore — or that it was pursued by a predator, such as a sea lion, he said.

Some have also hypothesized that such incidents could be related to weather or climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean, he said.

According to NOAA Fisheries, lancetfish can be more than 7 feet (2 meter) long and swim to depths of more than a mile beneath the surface of the sea.

Last week, Miranda Crowell happened across a lancetfish on a beach in Lincoln City, Oregon. At first, she thought it might be a barracuda but that didn’t seem right, so she posted a photo of it on Twitter and asked what it could be. She quickly got a response.

The fish, which she saw April 28, was more than 4 feet (1 meter) long and seemed to have just washed ashore.

“I have never seen anything like that on that beach,” she said.

Frable encouraged people to report any sightings, saying it could provide useful information for researchers.

He also said that incidents like these provide an opportunity “to kind of highlight the true diversity of life on the planet and how there are things that you just don’t think about — but they’re out there.”

The Cinco de Mayo Celebrations In Mexico

Mexico observed Cinco de Mayo celebrations on Friday. The day marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. In the battle May 5, 1862, Mexicans defeated the French forces of Napoleon III. The day has come to be celebrated as the mark of Mexican resistance to foreign domination.


UPDATED: 06 MAY 2023

Mexico Cinco de Mayo | Photo: AP/Marco Ugarte
People take part in a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla during a Cinco de Mayo celebration, in Mexico City.

  

Mexico Cinco de Mayo | Photo: 

Mexico Cinco de Mayo | 

A person taking part in a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla wears a poncho adorned with an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, during a Cinco de Mayo celebration, in Mexico City.

A person taking part in a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla holds a chicken's head in his mouth, during a Cinco de Mayo celebration, in Mexico City.

A person taking part in a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla drinks from a gourd, during a Cinco de Mayo celebration, in Mexico City.

Mexico Cinco de Mayo | Photo: AP/Marco Ugarte
People take part in a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla during a Cinco de Mayo 

celebration, in Mexico City.

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Latest IssueVoices From Dharamshala

INDIA

Beyond The Binary: Time To Unshackle Love

The notion that recognising same-sex marriage will ‘ruin’ Indian culture is a narrow interpretation of a complex and dynamic cultural entity. Culture is not a stagnant pool but a flowing river, continually evolving and adapting, enriched by new experiences and perspectives.

The Supreme Court of India is currently hearing petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages Getty Images

Shamim Zakaria

UPDATED: 30 APR 2023 

Lately, my Twitter feed has been my constant companion as India's Supreme Court deliberates on the recognition of same-sex marriage through daily hearings. The nation now stands at a critical juncture and at the heart of this lies the potential for the nation to redefine its cultural identity and to fully embrace the beauty and universality of love in all its forms.

As I pore over the comments and deliberations of the judges, I am filled with a sense of hope, mingled with moments of despair and mixed emotions. However, my optimism is quickly eroded when I encounter the vitriolic rhetoric of certain policymakers, who are quick to condemn the recognition of same-sex marriage as an affront to Indian culture.

But let us pause and consider this notion of culture. If a so-called cultural identity is built upon a foundation of homophobia and intolerance towards diversity, then how can it be truly called culture? Surely, a culture that rejects and marginalises its own citizens based on their sexual orientation cannot lay claim to any true cultural significance. Rather, such a culture is nothing but a false and uncivilized construct that must be confronted and dismantled!

Thus, the Court’s decision represents an opportunity to shed the vestiges of homophobia and build a more inclusive society, allowing us to finally break free from the shackles of prejudice.

In an India often draped in the vibrant colours of diversity, it is paradoxical that the spectrum of love remains confined to the binary. Yet, today, India stands on the precipice of change. It has the chance to acknowledge and respect the multifaceted nature of love, to disperse the lingering shadows of homophobia, and, in the process, to reimagine its own image in the global arena.

The argument against same-sex marriage often finds its roots in the assertion that homosexuality is against Indian culture. This stance, however, overlooks the rich tapestry of India’s historical and cultural narrative. It is crucial to remember that Indian culture is neither monolithic nor static. It is a living, breathing entity that has evolved over millennia, adapting to changes and embracing new ideas.

The ancient scriptures and art of India do not shy away from portraying a variety of sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions of love. The Kama Sutra, an age-old treatise on love and sexuality, and the carvings on Khajuraho temples, stand as testaments to the acceptance of sexual diversity in ancient India.

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Latest IssueVoices From Dharamshala

The discourse around same-sex marriage is often centered on concepts of ‘us’ and ‘them’, creating an unnecessary divide. Yet, the reality remains that there is no ‘them’, there are only ‘us’ — people in all their diversity seeking love and acceptance. By embracing same-sex marriage, we acknowledge this unity in diversity, echoing the spirit of India's ancient philosophy of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, meaning the world is one family.

The notion that recognising same-sex marriage will ‘ruin’ Indian culture is a narrow interpretation of a complex and dynamic cultural entity. Culture is not a stagnant pool but a flowing river, continually evolving and adapting, enriched by new experiences and perspectives. Embracing same-sex marriage will not erode the foundations of Indian culture; rather, it will underscore its resilience, its capacity to evolve, and its inherent pluralism.

Moreover, this change does not demand the abandonment of values, but rather their re-evaluation in the light of empathy and understanding. The core values of family, unity, and respect that Indian culture holds dear are not exclusive to heterosexual unions. They are universal, just as love is universal. Recognising same-sex marriage will only broaden the scope of these cherished values, nurturing a more inclusive society.

As India stands on the brink of this monumental decision, the onus falls upon the Supreme Court to reflect the tenets of justice, equality, and dignity enshrined in the Indian Constitution. 

Recognising same-sex marriage is not a matter of discarding tradition but of upholding the fundamental rights of every citizen. The Court has a chance to reaffirm the nation's commitment to diversity and to send a powerful message to the world that India, in all its rich cultural heritage, recognises and respects the universality of love. And in doing so, India will not only preserve its culture but also enrich it, creating a more inclusive, accepting, and vibrant society.

The question before the Supreme Court is not just about law. It is about love. And love, in all its forms, in all its colours, and in all its diversity, demands recognition. The opportunity to seize this moment of change is here. The Supreme Court must not miss. 

Let us no longer be held back by outdated beliefs and prejudices, but instead forge a new path towards inclusivity and acceptance. The recognition of same-sex marriage is a crucial step in this journey, and one that we must take with courage and conviction.

(Shamim Zakaria is a journalist, writer, and commentator, currently based in Beijing. Views expressed are personal to the author.)

India's Queers Have Right To Reimagine Marriage

Considering queer marriage as an elitist concept is itself elitism, denying working-class queer individuals their right to full citizenship.

\

At the Frontlines: Urmila and Leela featured in The Times of India (Bombay),1988 Courtesy: Arvind Narrain Collection, Qamra Archival Project at NLSIU

Siddarth S Ganesh
UPDATED: 01 MAY 2023 

“My Lords, may I say that that was the most nerve wracking lunch of my life,” said Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, beginning to address the Constitutional Bench in the afternoon on April 25.

I was one of thousands of people across India watching the Supreme Court of India (SC) livestream the Marriage Equality petitions’ hearings on YouTube. But it felt like more than just ‘watching.’ The hearings are being broadcast as a Webex meeting. Driven to necessity by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have used online meeting spaces to love, grieve, agitate and organise. The familiarity of the format invites you in, the proceedings morph into the internet table we are all sitting at, the gravity of the machinery of democracy tugs at you, the people mill about.

Having worked to catalogue and preserve the courtroom documents of the litigation against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (Sec 377 IPC), I am thrilled at being able to access oral arguments in the SC without physically being in Court 1. Adv. Guruswamy explained her lunch time nerves, “How do I sum up a conversation that, perhaps, Mr Kripal, Ms Katju and I have contemplated having in this Court for many decades of our life?” Humanising history is part of my work as an archivist.

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Latest IssueVoices From Dharamshala

Understanding The Supreme Court's Anxieties Over Marriage Laws

This access inspires new ways of interpreting queer history and maintaining legal memory. Video cameras and photography being prohibited on court premises before, stories of Adv. Shyam Divan’s impassioned oration during Naz hearings in the Delhi High Court are recounted as cherished memories by those who were present. Today, we get to witness for ourselves the different advocates, bodies wrung by emotion as they speak to the Justices. One is reminded that bodies, especially queer bodies, are tied to the law.

On 18 April, day 1 of the court hearings, in a repartée between CJI DY Chandrachud and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta (representing the Indian government), the CJI remarked that the notion of a biological man or woman was not absolute and that “it’s not just a question of what your genitals are.” To which, Mehta insisted that it was indeed a question of one’s genitals, whereby a man would mean a “biological man” only, limiting in his interpretation the legal definition of marriage to be exclusively between “biological men” and “biological women.”

At the Frontlines: A ‘Justice for Chandini‘ rally in Bengaluru, 2002

Courtesy: T Jayashree Audio-visual Collection, Qamra Archival Project at NLSIU

The absence of legal recognition of same-sex marriage in India has, however, never impeded homosexuals from marrying. Urmila and Leela, two police constables in Madhya Pradesh married each other in a simple temple ceremony in 1987, the following year they were both fired from their posts when their superintendent discovered that they were married. Female-born queer individuals in Gujarat have appropriated the Maitri Karar (a traditional, now illegal, contract system in Gujarat between a married man and his unmarried mistress) to create legal protection for their domestic relationships. Amongst the transgender communities, hijras have married their pantis (partners) in traditional ceremonies.

In a continuum with pre-existing queer marriage practices and cultures, 20 petitions have been filed which are collectively being called by some as the ‘Same-sex Marriage’ petitions. Amongst these, the efforts of petitioners Akkai Padmashali and Uma, represented by Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari, broaden the scope of the proposed change in the law to include marriage for all, unrestricted to same-sex couples.

The distinctions here are between that of sex and gender, and between sexual orientation and gender identities. A same-sex marriage provision, by recognising marriages between individuals of the same sex confers the right to marry only to homosexual couples, leaving transgender, intersex and agender people without the same right. As I’m writing this, Adv. Kothari is moving the court to read in to the Special Marriage Act, that: “All references to male or female be read to be referred to as ‘persons’ and all references to husband or wife be referred to as ‘spouses’—to include all persons irrespective of their gender and sexual orientations.”
Today, We Get To Witness The Different Advocates, Bodies Wrung By Emotion As They Speak To The Justices. One Is Reminded That Bodies, Especially Queer Bodies, Are Tied To The Law.

Mimicking the movement towards a fluid understanding of gender, the role played by the sex of the person in reproduction might no longer be static either. This February, a transman gave birth to a child in Kerala. Two advancements in reproductive technology contest the assumption that only a biological man and a biological woman can produce offspring together: In-vitro Mitochondrial Donation produces children who inherit genetic material from three parents, and the still in development technique of In-vitro Gametogenesis reprograms cells from adults to become stem cells, which are then turned into egg and sperm cells to create embryos. These procedures have the power to radically re-envision human reproduction, precipitating legal reforms along lines similar to that we are discussing.

Away from the gleaming walls of a futuristic fertility clinic, in an affidavit filed before the Constitutional Bench, the Indian government termed same-sex marriage an “urban elitist concept,” urging the SC to abstain from conferring marriage equality. Voices from across the queer spectrum are uniting to demand a legal provision for marriage not for the self-flagellating pleasure of joining a cis-hetero-savarna-patriarchal institution but—to borrow Adv. Guruswamy’s term—for the ‘bouquet of rights’ one can access through marriage: adoption, inheritance, maternity leave, taxes, joint bank accounts, insurance coverage, pensions, provident fund etc. These civil rights create the framework fundamental to living a life of dignity and respect, that which Navtej recognises as an inalienable right of every queer individual. Considering queer marriage, and by extension these rights, as elitist concepts is itself elitism masquerading as class consciousness, denying working class queer individuals their right to full citizenship.

But what about queer couples who do not wish to institutionalise their relationships as marriage? People in polyamorous relationships? These concerns are not within the ambit of the present hearings, yet scope out terrain to be covered in the future.

This begs an even simpler question: why marriage? Why prioritise marriage as the core of the familial unit? Us queers have two familial structures—biological (the one we’re born into) and chosen. The biological family is created by marriage while the chosen one is built on kinship honed over years. People in queer chosen families do not necessarily think of each other as ‘mother,’ ‘daughter,’ ‘son,’ or ‘father,’ forging relationships which reflect the nature of the bond between members instead of mimicking a natal connection. Which frameworks enable members of such a family to avail the civil rights being argued for queer families started by espousal relationships?

Within queer marriages or in other relationship formats, we have to address the issue of intimate partner violence. In December 2002, Chandini, a hijra from Bengaluru, was murdered by her partner. Protesting against the police who refused to accept it as a case of murder, the transgender community led the city’s first public rally for queer rights on 8 December, calling for justice for Chandini and the reading down of Sec 377 IPC. Chandini’s murder changed the queer politics of the city, and warns us about protecting ourselves from abusive loved ones. Albeit articulating our demand to marry, we need to reflect upon systemic safeguards to protect queers from intimate partner violence notwithstanding their marital status.
Considering Queer Marriage As An Elitist Concept Is Itself Elitism, Denying Working Class Queer Individuals Their Right To Full Citizenship.

Earlier today (day 4 of the hearings), Adv. Kothari referred to the Yogyakarta Principles, a document on the application of human rights law in relation to sexual orientation, gender identities and HIV status. The queer movement began in India through HIV/AIDS activism, with the first argument for reading down Sec 377 being made on the grounds that it was hampering AIDS prevention efforts. At a time when HIV seems to have disappeared from public health memory, it is worth remembering that in the 2000s, it was contending with marriage as well. An example of this is, in 2006, the Goa government announced that it intended to amend the Goa Public Health Act to require couples registering for marriage to undergo compulsory HIV tests. While this was a bid towards curbing HIV transmission from infected men to their wives, it would have additionally pathologised queer people living with HIV/AIDS, stigmatising queer relationships and propagating serophobia. Queer individuals have had a complex relationship with the institution of marriage—contextualising it today with previous attempts at restricting queer marriage allows us to remember past discussions that remain relevant yet have been forgotten.

While Adv. Guruswamy was presenting her closing remarks for today, “How far and no further?” asked Justice Hima Kohli. The discussion was about whether it would be sufficient to stop at amending the Special Marriage Act or if further litigation would have to be done in Personal Law to accommodate both secular and religious forms of marriage and the civil rights contained therein.

My Lady, My Lords, my reply is this: we litigate everyday concerning the inheritance, medical insurance, custody rights, alimony, and domestic violence of heterosexual couples. It was in such a case, in August 2022, that a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna recognised that familial relationships may take the form of queer relationships. When we go as far as needed for heterosexual couples, why are we defining a point beyond which queer individuals do not deserve litigation?

As someone who initially wondered why we were focussing on queer marriage when we have so many more compelling concerns, watching the hearings has led me to introspect—I personally might never want to marry, but the right to marry is for the many queer communities who are still living life as second-class citizens. It is our right to choose to and be able to marry the person of our choice. A legal right that is being denied to us queer individuals. That is discrimination.

(Views expressed are personal)

(This appeared in the print as 'How Far and No Further')

Siddarth S Ganesh is a programme coordinator at Qamra Archival Project at NLSIU, Bengaluru

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

UK

TSB says Meta’s Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram drive 80% of fraud


Vicky Shaw and Alys Key
Fri, 5 May 2023 

Mark Zuckerberg owns Meta (Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP via Getty Images)

Fraudsters are using sites in Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire to target “innocent” users, a major UK bank has warned.

TSB said its own data showed that eight in every 10 instances of the most common scams originate on services such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

The bank identified purchase fraud, impersonation, and sham investments as the biggest categories of scams it monitors. Some 80 per cent of these types of scams take place on Meta-owned platforms.

TSB analysed its customer fraud data from January 2021 to December 2022 to make the findings. The data relates to cases where the platform has been recorded.

Different platforms are more prone to certain types of scam. In 65 per cent of impersonation scams, such as the infamous “hi mum” text, fraudsters are using Whatsapp, TSB said. Investment scams, meanwhile, are most likely to originate on Instagram, where 59 per cent of instances take place, followed by Facebook with 22 per cent.

TSB fraud experts are urging people to watch out for unsolicited messages claiming to be from family or close friends. They advise contacting the person directly, if possible, before ever sending a payment.

They are also urging potential investors to stick to recognised investment platforms and to steer clear of social media “get-rich-quick” schemes.

TSB launched its own fraud refund guarantee in 2019 and it said 97 per cent of fraud cases it sees are reimbursed through this.

The guarantee covers customers who are innocent victims of fraud on their TSB accounts. Under the guarantee, customers are not reimbursed if, for example, they are found to have been involved in the fraud themselves or deemed to have abused the guarantee.

Paul Davis, director of fraud prevention at TSB, said: “Social media companies must urgently clean up their platforms to protect the countless innocent people who use their services every day.

“In the meantime, we are urging the public to remain cautious to potential scam content — and to spread the word to help protect those around you.

Social media companies must urgently clean up their platforms to protect the countless innocent people who use their services every day
Paul Davis, TSB

“It’s high time that social media and telephone companies took financial liability for the rising levels of fraud taking place on their platforms.

“Our fraud refund guarantee continues to play a vital, often life-changing role in returning money to innocent victims of fraud, who fall foul due to vulnerabilities in other sectors.”

Meta is working with Stop Scams UK to help victims and remove scams at the source.

It recently launched Stop. Think. Call., a scams awareness campaign by WhatsApp and the National Trading Standards’ Friends Against Scams campaign, with support from Citizens’ Advice.

It also recently rolled out a new process requiring financial services advertisers targeting users in the UK to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

We don't want anyone to fall victim to these criminals, which is why our platforms have systems to block scams, financial services advertisers now have to be FCA-authorised, and we run consumer-awareness campaigns on how to spot fraudulent behaviour

Meta spokesperson

A Meta spokesperson said: “This is an industry-wide issue and scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud people in a range of ways including email, SMS, and offline.

“We don’t want anyone to fall victim to these criminals, which is why our platforms have systems to block scams, financial services advertisers now have to be FCA-authorised, and we run consumer-awareness campaigns on how to spot fraudulent behaviour.

“People can also report this content in a few simple clicks and we work with the police to support their investigations.”

Earlier this week, the Government unveiled a new fraud strategy, which will include banning cold calls on financial products, such as those relating to insurance or sham cryptocurrency schemes.

It also plans to work with Ofcom to use new technology to further clamp down on number “spoofing”, so fraudsters cannot impersonate legitimate UK phone numbers.

Under the plans, banks will also be allowed to delay payments from being processed for longer to allow for suspect payments to be investigated.

The Government said it will also ban other devices or methods commonly harnessed by scammers to reach thousands of people at once — such as so-called “sim farms” — and review the use of mass-texting services to keep these technologies out of the hands of criminals.

Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at consumer group Which?, said: “The Online Safety Bill has been going through Parliament for more than a year and progress has been much too slow, with people still being scammed every day.”

UK

Domino’s turns to collection to avoid the hit of delivery driver pay rises


Daniel O'Boyle
Thu, 4 May 2023 

Domino’s UK said more customers are using its app than its other online order services 

(Domino’s/PA) (PA Media)

Pizza chain Domino’s said it would focus more on collections so it can limit the impact of rising delivery driver pay on its bottom line.

Sales for the three months to 26 March grew to a record £386.6m. However, the 10.7% rise in sales, before the impact of lastr year’s hike in VAT, was well below food inflation. According to the ONS, a basket of flour, tomatoes, cheese and sliced meat was 31% more expensive this March than it was a year earlier.

Collection orders grew much more quickly. This, the company said, helped it avoid rising labour costs by ‘outsourcing’ work to customers.

“Collection represents the most efficient labour channel, with delivery effectively outsourced to the customer,” Domino’s said. “This is particularly important in an environment where there are pressures on labour availability and wage inflation.”

While it took a larger slice of the UK takeaway market in Q1, the company said the sector as a whole was “challenging”.

Interim CEO Elias Diaz Sese said: “Whilst this year has started well for Domino’s, there continues to be uncertainty in the economic environment with household budgets likely to remain under increasing pressure.

“However, we continue to be excited about the many opportunities we see for Domino's in 2023 and beyond as we continue to work towards our purpose of delivering a better future through food people love.

"We are well placed to succeed as we accelerate the execution of our strategy. We are focused on improving our franchise partners' profitability and we have made good progress in investing in the business and driving operational efficiencies.”

Domino’s added that sales were up 10.9% so far in the second quarter of the year.

Shares were up 5.4p to 307.2p as the company announced a £20 million share buyback. Analysts at Peel Hunt said Domino’s could give back £330 million in the next three years and still cut its debts.

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M
Britain's scandal-hit tech champion to lay off 30pc of staff

Gareth Corfield
Thu, 4 May 2023

The Wandisco logo is seen on an LED screen in the background while a silhouetted person uses a smartphone - Alamy Stock Photo

Wandisco is to lay off a third of its staff as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) continues an investigation into alleged fraud at the British tech champion.

The company announced on Thursday that 30pc of employees will leave as part of a fresh cost-cutting drive.

Ken Lever, the former Biffa boss who is now Wandisco’s executive chairman, said: “Regrettably, the proposed action is a necessary step to responsibly position Wandisco for long term growth.”


The data replication company suspended its shares from trading on the Aim junior market in March after revealing a suspected $15m (£12.6m) accounting fraud.

An internal investigation found that $15m of revenues and $115m of sales the firm had reported were completely invented. Wandisco blamed the “potentially fraudulent irregularities” on “one senior sales employee”.

Forensic accountants from FRP Advisory are now combing through the Sheffield-based firm’s books, while the FCA opened an investigation into Wandisco in April.

Immediately before the share suspension Wandisco founder and chief executive David Richards suggested he was pursuing a dual UK-US listing for the £880m company.

Megabuyte analyst Tom Kennedy speculated in a client note that the headcount cuts could give the company a lifeline “until early 2024”, highlighting “its long history of very heavy cash burn.”.

“As we've previously noted, there are few, if any, capital raising routes left for Wandisco,” he added. “Shares are still suspended and investors will feel burned anyway.”

The company had $19m (£15.1m) in the bank at the end of last year. It introduced a four-day working week in February 2022.

Analyst firm Edison withdrew its coverage of Wandisco when the suspected fraud was first revealed, saying at the time: “Due to the nature of the ongoing investigations, we have not been able to speak to the company since the announcement.”

Prior to uncovering the accounting irregularities, Wandisco was a fast-growing software company worth almost £1bn.

Its business consists of helping companies move very large quantities of business data into the cloud, a process that is usually risky.

In January, the company said revenues had grown 230pc to $24m in 2022. On Thursday it warned that the true figure could be as low as $9m.

Mr Richards, who stepped down in April along with finance chief Erik Miller, declined to comment.

Separately, the finance chief of the most valuable semiconductor company listed on the London Stock Exchange will step down just days after it was forced to delay issuing its final accounts.

Shares in Alphawave IP, which designs tiny parts of microchips, plunged 20pc last week after the Anglo-Canadian company said its auditors KPMG would not be able to provide a final opinion on its accounts in time.

The company has suspended trading of its shares until its delayed accounts are published on or before May 12. The company said the delay was due to added complexities after it undertook a series of mergers.

Daniel Aharoni, the company's chief financial officer, will leave the company after the final results are revealed.

Christian Bowsher, senior director of finance at Alphawave, will serve as acting finance chief until a successor is found.

John Lofton Holt, Alphawave's executive chairman, said: “Daniel has been a key part of our journey since our IPO in 2021 and during the three transformational acquisitions we undertook in 2022.”

Heathrow operating contingency plans amid security guards strike


Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent
Thu, 4 May 2023 

Heathrow said the airport is operating as usual on Thursday despite a strike by security guards.

Members of the Unite union walked out in the first of a series of stoppages after talks over a pay dispute broke down on Wednesday evening.

Heathrow said its contingency plans are working well and no flights have been cancelled as a result of the industrial action.\

A Heathrow spokesman said: “Passengers can be reassured that they will travel as normal. This is an important time for the country, and we will not let these unnecessary strikes disrupt journeys.

“We have activated our contingency plans and deployed 750 additional colleagues and the entire management team who will be on hand in the terminals providing assistance to passengers.

“The majority of colleagues do not support strike action. Colleagues could have an inflation-matching pay increase for two years – 10% this year and a CPI-linked increase in 2024, as well as a £1,150 lump sum, but instead they’re left empty-handed by Unite’s refusal to allow members to vote on the offer.”

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King said: “Unite has given Heathrow Airport every opportunity to make an improved pay offer, which could have led to the strike action being suspended.

“Sadly, they refused to grasp the opportunity to make an offer which could meet members’ expectations.”

UK

More workers at Amazon to be balloted over possible industrial action

Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent
Fri, 5 May 2023 


More workers at online giant Amazon are to be balloted for strikes over pay.

The GMB said its members at Rugeley, in Staffordshire, and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.

The GMB has already held a series of strikes at Amazon’s site in Coventry, which the union said is having a “domino effect” in other areas.

Workers have since submitted a request for union recognition after the GMB reached the membership threshold for mandatory recognition, which it said could mark Amazon’s first union recognition in Europe.

The ballots at Rugely and Mansfield will run until June 9.

Amanda Gearing, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “This is no time for sound bites; but Amazon workers are fighting back against a pay rise of pennies from one of the world’s wealthiest corporations.

“This escalation will see workers in two further fulfilment centres asked to have their say on downing tools and walking out to deliver pay justice.

“We’ve already seen enormous enthusiasm from workers at Mansfield and Rugeley to take action, now it’ll be up to them how their union moves forward with the campaign.

“We warned Amazon that this could fast become a summer of strike chaos if they refused to sit down and talk pay. Amazon Coventry workers have risen up, now we are seeing a domino effect.

“With strike action escalating and historical union recognition on the horizon, it’s time for Amazon to get real and get around the table”.

An Amazon spokesperson said: “We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages, and recently announced another increase for our UK teams.

“Over the past seven months, our minimum pay has risen by 10% and by more than 37% since 2018. We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

“These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.”

We might be wrong about where the continents came from, study suggests


Andrew Griffin
Fri, 5 May 2023 

(Getty Images)

The Earth’s continents are part of the reason the Earth is habitable, and what makes it unique among the planets within our solar system. But they still remain largely mysterious, and scientists do not know why the Earth’s surface is divided into those important chunks.

Those continents were able to stand above sea level – itself necessary for terrestrial life – because the continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidised compared with that under the ocean. That means that the continents are less dense and more buoyant, which means they sit higher up.

One story suggests that happens because the crystallisation of the mineral garnet, which was proposed in 2018 and became a popular explanation of the formation of the earth as we know it. In that explanation, garnet crystallises in the magma beneath continental arc volcanos, where an oceanic plate goes beneath a continental one, and that process removes non-oxidised iron.

But the new study eliminates that hypothesis, as well as providing a better understanding of the continents. The team behind it looked for a way to test that hypothesis about the crystallisation of garnet, by replicating a version of that heat and pressure in the lab.

They did so by using “piston-cylinder presses”, which can apply huge amount of forces to tiny samples, as well as using a heating assembly that heats them up at the same time. In 13 different experiments, researchers grew samples of garnet from molten rock in conditions that were similar to those inside Earth’s crust.

Then they gathered samples of garnet from around the world. Those had been analysed so that their makeup was known, and researchers knew how much oxidised and unoxidised iron they had.

The researchers then compared the two, with X-ray beams that were used to understand their composition. They found that the garnets did not take enough unoxidised iron to account for the make-up present in the Earth.

“These results make the garnet crystallization model an extremely unlikely explanation for why magmas from continental arc volcanoes are oxidized and iron depleted,” said Elizabeth Cottrell, one of the researchers on the new paper, in a statement. “It’s more likely that conditions in Earth’s mantle below continental crust are setting these oxidized conditions.”

That means that one of the leading theories can now be dismissed. But it is still unknown what exactly is happening, and researchers hope to work to conduct further research to understand what is going on in this mysterious process.

An article describing the findings, ‘Garnet crystallization does not drive oxidation at arcs’, is published in the journal Science.