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Black Tech Planet has announced the first ever Atlanta Black Tech Week (ABTW), a week-long celebration where Atlanta’s tech community comes together to discuss the Black tech ecosystem. The conference, held August 29-Sept. 1, will bring together tech leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and technologists to highlight diverse founder-led companies and explore how to redefine more effective funding models for these entrepreneurs.
From an exclusive intimate luncheon with tech leaders to a startup showcase, the experience will serve to educate, promote and celebrate the advances and aspirations of blacks in technology. 3,000 attendees from all over the country are expected for the inaugural event.
Georgia is a logical setting for such a conference, as studies have ranked the state number two in the country for black-owned businesses. ABTW will cover these efforts and more at a ‘State of Black Tech in America’ session.
As minority founders continue to struggle to secure adequate funding, ABTW will also attempt to provide connections to close the gap by inviting venture capitalists and angel investors to join the conversation. Additional keynote speakers will cover the tech, entertainment, investment and food industry, with big names including Barry Givens, founder of Monsieur; Rodney Bullard, Executive Director of the Chick-Fil-A Foundation; Candace Mitchell, co-founder of Myavana; Jeff Nelson, co-founder of Blavity and Cinchapi; and more.
Lastly, ABTW has partnered with the Center for Civil and Human Rights to host a ‘Pitch Competition for startups that are looking to change the world for good.
Don’t miss the eduction — and celebration! Grab your tickets here!


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Regardless of his multimillion dollar bank account, the former engineer at Sausage Software – the first dot com’s made public in the nineties, Mark Harbottle isn’t one to possess covetous eyes. Splurging on lavish and high-ticket items is not part of his character but his enthusiasm to initiate start-up ventures and help them succeed, is a characteristic trait he proudly boasts.
Mark Harbottle has become a household name in the business realm. He is one of Australia’s web 2.0 serial entrepreneurs, famous for 99designs.com – the number one online crowdsourced graphic design site in the world.
Launched in February 2008, 99designs.com, fuelled by word of mouth, has doubled in size, every year since inception from staff to designers and buyers. Now, it dominates a third of the graphic marketplace, where you’ll find a design uploaded every five seconds.
99designs, one of four businesses that the natural entrepreneur co-founded; Sitepoint.com, Flippa.com, and Learnable.com with Matthew Mickiewicz , professes it’s his “favourite baby”. And why wouldn’t it be? “I’m proud that we created a space for designers that did not exist before,” says Mr. Harbottle. “We have over 140,000 designers registered from 192 countries and 120,000 design projects ‘contested’ to date with an anticipated 200,000 assignments by the end of 2012,” he added.
Its top four ‘contest’ holders are predominantly from the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “Our most active designers come from Indonesia, who make up 24%, followed by the U.S (14%), India (7%) and the Philippines (7%),” says the 39-year-old.
In 2011, 99designs projected a payout of $25 million to designers alone and as of January 2012, approximately $1.5 million was rewarded, double that of January last year. “These are great statistics that I’m proud of.”
Mark said its “top designers clear more than $10,000 a month from a combination of designer payouts and additional work sourced through the site.” It comes as no surprise why Accel Partners, who reportedly own 10% of Facebook, presented Mark and Matt a $35 million offer they couldn’t refuse.
But the success of 99designs and his two other co-ventures; Flippa (ranked number one in the marketplace in buying and selling of websites), and Learnable (a new social online learning platform launched mid last year), aims “to make learning web design and development easy and fun” – would not have been made possible without Sitepoint.com – a very successful and popular web design information portal, created over a decade ago with Mickiewicz.
The father of three describes Sitepoint as ‘the farm’, which his other projects sprouted and sprung to life. SitePoint’s forums allowed web designers to compete with one another to see who could come up with the best of designs. Mark said not all of his start-up ventures hit the ground running like 99designs and Flippa.
“We learned lessons in the first 12 months of Learnable.com, where we went too broad with our offering and launched too early with the wrong sales model,” he says. “We tightened up our offering and changed to a more sustainable subscription based revenue model and within two months of pivoting Learnable.com, we signed up over 3,500 new subscribers that’ll be cash flow positive in next to no time,” he added.
People’s perception of the tech whiz may have changed but his outlook hasn’t and it’s not in his nature to purchase big, costly things, but he did “buy a jet ski,” he laughs.
Harbottle did reveal to Shoe String that he is in pursuit to start other business ventures and has no intention to leave the world of start-ups, endeavouring to devout more time to upcoming ventures that’s already in the works. “I am playing around with a few things and hopefully, it might turn into something,” he says. “I’m eager todo more in the startup space and help them be successful, plus it’s too much fun to leave,” was the beach lovers concluding statement.
[Mark was also recently named the BRW Entrepreneur of the Year]

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MEST Africa 2020 Challenge has announced the country final winners who will be competing in the Finale on the 12th of August, for $50,000 in funding, prizes from partners and bragging rights as ‘Africa’s future tech giant ’.
MEST Africa 2020 Challenge will be held virtually, allowing over eighty tech startups to pitch from their home countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The startups include:
Debo Engineering (Ethiopia): An integrated engineering firm with a focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, ML, Big Data analysis, mobile computing, and other disciplines related to engineering. They design, analyze, develop, and implement smart business applications for the agricultural, transportation, health, and educational sectors.
Fundis (Kenya): A peer to peer platform that helps customers find & hire competent, vetted, and reliable local service professionals. They aim to solve the problem of Africa’s disorganized and fragmented informal sector by bringing craftsmen and local artisans together on one platform and making them easily accessible.
Tutoo+ (Côte d’Ivoire): An innovative e-learning platform that provides a disruptive education on cutting-edge technologies and entrepreneurial skills in Francophone Africa. Their solution is meant to address the increased availability of jobs in the ICT sector versus the inadequacy of skilled labour available to fill those roles. Tutoo+ is digitally re-orienting today’s youth to prepare for tomorrow.
BAG Innovation (Rwanda): A startup committed to preparing Africa’s future workforce by applying gamification to offer real-time access to experience-based learning for University students in East Africa. Their platform helps graduates in Rwanda acquire skills that will give them the exposure they need to work in their chosen fields while still in the University. Collaborating with the creator of the global game phenom, ‘Candy Crush’, Bag Innovation has also created a game that increases retention, conversion, and engagement among students.
Oniocha Ltd (Ghana): A web-based platform improving the literary space in Africa by making access to books quick and easy. They help individuals buy, sell, and swap books. In the next five years, they also aim to publish and distribute books through their platform.
Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa Limited (Tanzania): A startup developing digital farming solutions including online produce distribution platforms and providing access to refrigerators and cold storage for farm produce. Their goal is to develop systems that allow farmers to earn a higher income from their yield.
Moussa Africa (Senegal): A technology startup creating digital and financial inclusion platforms to develop the socio-economic lives of Africans by reinventing the way microfinance works. They assist businesses with working capital and goods on credit while working in partnership with supply companies to provide raw materials at affordable prices to their clients.
Gradely (Nigeria): A personalized online learning platform that harnesses the power of data and AI to help schools and parents access the learning gaps of their children in real-time. Their online sessions offer AI-assisted assessments and the ability to view student progress.
PopUpShopShop (South Africa): An online marketplace connecting brands to great spaces in shopping centres and high street locations for short or long term rentals. Their platform is an easy to use tool that simplifies the administration of commercial short term leases and offers a suite of tailored shopfitting solutions to make popping up easy.
In another exciting move, this year’s competition is introducing a new element – the ‘Community Choice Vote’ – which gives viewers the opportunity to vote for their favorite startup live during the finale, and reward the winner with access to the MEST Community and its benefits.


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Blue Bell Creameries is expanding its recall of products made at its Broken Arrow, Okla. plant after additional products tested positive for bacteria known to be a leading cause of deadly food poisoning, the company announced Tuesday.
The recall expansion includes the company’s banana pudding ice cream and a host of other products manufactured on the same equipment.
Blue Bell ice cream contaminated with listeria, a food-borne bacteria that sickens 1,600 people in the United States annually, has been linked to three deaths at a Kansas hospital this year. The sick, elderly and young are particularly vulnerable to the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Development of a brand new range of MX and Enduro models is underway, with help from two of the greatest off-road racers of all time.
Talk about ‘didn’t see that coming!’
Triumph has today announced that it is part-way through the development of MX and Enduro bikes, with a likely launch in 2022. Yes, there have been rumours that something like this was in the air and the recent appointment of Ricky Carmichael and Iván Cervantes, both legends of MX and Enduro racing, was a pretty big clue, but it has still come as a shock. A welcome shock, but still a shock.
Details of the new bikes are virtually non-existent, but Triumph did say that “development is well underway on a comprehensive range of all-new motocross and enduro motorcycles.” Further details will be released in the coming months.
The important phrase is “all-new”. This indicates that Triumph will develop the chassis and engine in-house and not buy in those components from outside. It’s worked for them in the past and, given the company’s track record in developing all of its own models this way, why should it be any different this time?
The company already has supply relationships with the likes of Bosch, Showa, Ohlins, as well as tyre companies, so there will be no problem there. There is also a relationship with KTM through the likes of WP suspension, which is ironic as it will undoubtedly be KTM for whom Triumph will be gunning on the competition stage.
On a business front, it also makes a lot of sense. The off-road market in the US is booming and, given the relative lack of legislation for off-road bikes, this would be a relatively cheap way for Triumph to boost its presence in that market.
Then there is the fact that Triumph already has a distribution and dealer network in place around the world, which is often the major headache for start-up brands. Triumph also has the financial resources to do this properly, cutting no corners along the way.
Triumph CEO Nick Bloor had this to say;
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Triumph brand, which everyone at Triumph is incredibly excited to be part of. We are 100% committed to making a long-lasting impact in this highly competitive and demanding world, with a single-minded ambition to deliver a winning motorcycle line-up for a whole new generation of Triumph riders.”
It’s no good building such bikes if you’re not going to race them. That this will happen is pretty much a given, especially with the presence of Carmichael and Cervantes on the development team. In them, Triumph has two enormously experienced and successful team members; Carmichael won fifteen motocross titles and five Supercross titles, with 150 career wins, while Cervantes won the Spanish national MX championship five times before moving to the world stage in Enduro, taking titles and competing in the Dakar Rally.
Carmichael had this to say;
“I’m thrilled to announce that I’m joining the Triumph family and even more excited to be a part of their new endeavour into the off-road product category. This is an incredible opportunity for me to join this historic brand, and I’m honoured and humbled to be a part of the development and release of Triumph’s off-road motorcycles. What is impressive to me is Triumph’s dedication and passion to develop a top-of-the-class product. Everyone who I have been involved with within this project, from the engineers, design groups, R&D department, has shown an extreme passion for what they’re doing, and that’s a recipe for success and something that I love being a part of.”
“I’ve loved Triumph motorcycles since I was a small kid, seeing them in films and on television. So to be working with Triumph from the beginning of this project is an amazing opportunity for me – not just because it’s working with one of the world’s greatest motorcycle brands, but also for being part of building something from zero. I cannot wait to see the bikes competing at a world level, but I also look forward to when I can stand in a Triumph dealer and know I was part of this very special project.”
Triumph has a long history of off-road racing success, albeit a long, long time ago! Almost from the company’s inception, its bikes were being used for competition. With the appearance of the Triumph Twin engine in 1939, here was an engine that was light and powerful, perfect for trials and scrambling events. Not that everyone thought so at first; popular opinion at the time said that the low-down lugging power of a single-cylinder engine was what was needed and the relatively high-revving twin would be unsuitable.
The doubters were soon proved wrong and, into the 1950s and beyond, models such as the TR5 Trophy, TR6 SC, Bonneville T1200TT and T120C, in the hands of the likes of Bud Ekins, ruled the desert races in the U.S., at least until the light and powerful two-stroke Husqvarnas came along in the late 1960s.
Far from being dedicated off-road machines, competition bikes of that era were modified, road-going models. But, as Ekins found out, Triumph built strong, light and fast motorbikes with all the agility, responsiveness and power that made them perfect for the gruelling races, often of up to 1000 miles in length.
Today’s MX and Enduro bikes are a far cry from those simple days of ‘modify and race’. Triumph will have to develop brand new bikes that bear no resemblance to anything they currently build, including a brand new single-cylinder engine, most likely of 250 – 450cc. The good thing is that an awful lot of development has been done by KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, etc, over the years and while Triumph won’t have direct access behind the scenes of these manufacturers, it does have access to current models to compare theirs to and to gauge the state-of-the-art.
Of course, Triumph can’t use a crystal ball to see what these companies are working on for the next generation of their off-road models, but with the help of Carmichael and Cervantes, they will have a pretty good idea.
This is a fantastically exciting announcement by Triumph. Critics might say the company has no chance of de-throning KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki or Kawasaki but history shows us that Triumph has succeeded in every class they have chosen to enter. Just because this is a completely new class for the company has no bearing on the matter. Triumph will enter and they will win. It’s as simple as that!


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Smoke rising from the Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya on Sept. 23 last year.
去年九月二十三日，煙霧從肯亞奈洛比西門購物商城冒出。Jan 21, 2014
This photo has been viewed 176 times.
Listing from 2014-09-14 to 2014-09-21
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The Bruneian government has recognised the vital role small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in Brunei’s industrial and economic growth.
The SMEs in Brunei are involved in sectors such as professional services, ICT, e-Business, hospitality, technical consultancy, oil and gas and manufactur- ing. They also benefit from FDIs flowing into the country, as it generates projects and downstream activities which can be undertaken by SMEs.
Many SMEs also receive annual invitations to show- case their business or products at expos such as the China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning, China.
Most SMEs and MSMEs are run by young, educated and highly-skilled individuals, utilising the latest
technological developments to further their busi- nesses. Supported by various agencies, SMEs and MSMEs are set to grow both locally and abroad.
Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) is an institu- tion that has shown commitment in providing sup- port towards the SME Industry in Brunei.
In 2016, BIBD launched the SME 360° Centre, its first branch dedicated towards developing SMEs. It provides comprehensive banking services, spe- cifically catered towards the needs of SMEs. Some of its services include financial solutions and digital payment.
Through its SME 360° initiative, BIBD also holds talks and dialogues to support SMEs. In May 2017, BIBD held a benefits talk to Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) students, providing tools and tips on start-ups as well as to encourage potential entrepreneurs. The talk also showcased Brunei’s current business ecosystem.
In December 2017, BIBD introduced two new prod- ucts aimed at facilitating SMEs: Biznet, an online corporate banking platform and the BIBD MSME Current Account. Biznet provides management on day-to-day accounts and payment operations, as well as real time account access.
The BIBD MSME Current Account facilitates MSME operations and activities as well as provides support to entrepreneurs that have the potential to develop further.
The Brunei Shell Joint Venture Companies’ (BSJV) LiveWIRE Brunei is a community development programme under the Brunei Shell Company which targets local youth who can contribute towards economic development.
LiveWIRE successfully held its 8th SMEs Promotion which consisted of forums and dialogues by Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) as well as an SME bazaar.
The SME Bazaar not only gave young entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their products to the public, but also provided insight on the challenges of managing a business.
The event was held over three days in December 2017 and was a collaborative effort between LiveWIRE, the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC) and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
The government has also, over the years, made extensive efforts to give local start-ups the best possible chance of developing into sustainable businesses with an eye on expanding abroad.
Many of these attempts at overseas development were unsuccessful, despite the country being blessed with an English-speaking and highly educated workforce with access to ample resources.
However, based on the evidence of a select few, Bruneian start-ups and their founders are learning from past misakes and forming business models which are already gaining regional recognition.
Addressing the needs of the Asean region by helping farmers make better informed decisions, AgromeIQ is one of the most promising start-ups to emerge from Brunei in recent years.
Founded by Vanessa Teo, AgromeIQ’s primary product is a smart-farming mobile application called Sprout IQ, which teaches its users the fundamentals of farming and walks them through the process of starting their own farms.
In December 2017, AgromeIQ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BIBD for the implementation of the Sprout (iQ) Farm.
The MoU enables 30 students under BIBD’s Advocating Life- Long Learning for an Aspiring Future (ALAF) to undergo a four-month programme, where they will have access to the locally-developed mobile app.
AgromeIQ’s early success and recognition began at the inau- gural Brunei Rice Bowl Start-up Awards (BRBSA), where it won the ‘Start-up of the Year’ and ‘Founder of the Year’ awards, followed by the ‘Special Recognition’ award at the 3rd Asean Rice Bowl Start-up Awards (ARBSA) in Kuala Lumpur.
“As a start-up, we always focus on scalability and market access, so this validated our expansion plans in the region, as we are now building bridges to other Asean member coun- tries,” said Vanessa Teo, after the ARBSA.
She added that the company is working on strengthening its roots in Brunei and further developing the agricultural ecosystem, while expanding through the formation of stra- tegic partnerships and alliances in other countries.
HeadHunter Sport is a manufacturer of high-quality affordable custom rugby kits for export. Its jerseys are made from a proprietary microfibre blend and held together by reinforced stitching, which provides the wearer with a comfortable and breathable kit that will also stand the punishment of the full-con- tact sport.
The idea to start the company came about when its founders, Yusuf Flynn and his wife, Aziemah binti Abdullah, were looking for a way to develop the sport of rugby in Brunei. Since 2015, they have gone through rigorous product development and continu- ous revisions of their business model before finally perfecting their recipe for success.
“We could see a need in the market for a cost-ef- fective product. We then came up with a solution to these problems with our unique line of products and a business model that allows us to achieve both,” said Yusuf.
“Our clients are pleased because we are a company that understands their needs and are able to cater to them in a variety of ways, so the real winners here are not only people who use our products, but the sport itself,” he added.
HeadHunter Sport was manufacturing gear for the Brunei national team prior to collecting the award for ‘Best Newcomer’ at the BRBSA. Its subsequent appearance at the 3rd ARBSA has gained even more exposure for the company.
A deal was signed with the Singapore Rugby Union in December 2017 to be the official merchandiser of HeadHunter Sport starting in March 2018, man- ufacturing national team jerseys and training wear, in addition to securing rights to manufacture Marvel clothing to be sold from Brunei.
Al-Huffaz Management was founded as a platform to enhance nationwide literacy in the reading of Al-Quran and Islamic Finance. Al-Huffaz’s bread- and-butter consists of matching a pool of local Al-Quran teachers to home-based customers across Brunei.
Al-Huffaz Management is jointly managed by eight personnel and has 80 instructors, who have success- fully conducted various services, including Al-Quran recitals at private residences, housewarming cere- monies and other religious gatherings.
The idea for the company came from an alumnus of Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB), who saw a gap in the local market regarding the provision of religious services to the general public.
Al-Huffaz’s website is also up and running after its launch at CommunicAsia 2017, with the hopes of matching religious teachers and students in Brunei more seamlessly.
The owner, Haji Mohammad Loqman Al-Hakim bin Haji Hamdan, and co-founders Muhd Iman Budiman bin Aspar and Mohd Nasyith bin Superi, have incor- porated the slogans ‘Zero Quran Illiterate’ and ‘Zero Islamic Finance Illiterate’ into their quest for a better educated Muslim community.
Winning the ‘Best Social Impact Start-up’ at the BRBSA in November 2017 was a testament to Al-Huffaz’s influence on the community since the matching service first opened for business.
Buycour Marketing Services runs a one-stop online shopping website called buycour.com that helps customers source for products from China without the language barrier and logistic hassles.
The workforce comprises Felicia See, the Manager; her brother-in-law, Sii Tung Yang, as the Marketing Manager; and a graphic designer.
While working in sales for other companies, Sii Tung Yang found that people had to go through different companies specialising in different type of prod- ucts to get their supplies, which were significantly marked-up from wholesale prices. This led to the idea for a platform which serves as a convenient and reasonably-priced solution for all.
Building on its award for ‘Best E-Commerce/Supply Chain Start-up’ at BRBSA, the company plans to promote its presence in Brunei and begin sourcing products from other Southeast Asian countries.
Its website offers a wide variety of household items, electronic products, home and garden products, pet supplies, sportswear, gym facilities, furniture, as well as automotives and electric transportation from China. Recently, the website has added a Brunei Collection to its menu, featuring local sellers selling autoparts, as well as clothing and accessories.
Copyright 2017 Borneo Bulletin Yearbook 2017 All rights reserved.


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Government Spokesman Ali Rabiei announced on Saturday that from Monday, October 26 until November 20, only half of the government employees will be at work.
The government spokesman noted that the National Coronavirus Headquarters has approved tough restrictions for 43 cities that are in emergency situation due to non-compliance with health protocols; and these restrictions will be applied as of Monday this week. He said the list of these cities will be announced to the governors later on.
Rabiei stated that with these restrictions, occupation groups 2, 3 and 4 will be shut down to harness the disease prevalence.
“Obviously, jobs related to daily life and essential needs of the people, including emergency services, service and administrative centers, security centres, chain stores, supermarkets, bakeries, etc., will continue their operation,” he noted.
According to a government directive, the occupation group 2 includes: Shopping malls that sell non-edible stuff, sports activities, holy places, civil service and organsations, mosques, confectionaries, nuts stores, juice and ice-cream shops, restaurants, barber shops, car dealing centres, car plate centres, rug and carpet shops, toy stores, home appliances shops, printing centres, interior designing shops, gift shops, garment wholesale and retailers, clothes markets, photo ateliers, real estate agencies, curtain shops, furniture stores, shoes and bags stores, stationary shops, tailor shops, and cosmetics stores.
Occupation group 3 includes: Universities, schools, seminaries, technical schools, language centers, libraries, kindergartens, indoor swimming pools, cinemas, theatres, museums, reception halls, hairdressing shops, mosques, public transportation (with limited activity), and in-person exams.
Occupation group 4 are social, cultural and religious events, sports such as wrestling, karate, and judo, holy shrines, dorms, cafes, teahouses, zoos, fun fairs, indoor sports, and aqua recreational centres.
In his Saturday remarks, Rabiei said the heads of the organisations must do the necessary planning so that there will be no disruption in giving service to the clients, and the organisations must do all the duties assigned to them.


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If someone's Electrum wallet is connected to one of these servers and tries to send a BTC transaction, they will see an official message telling them to update their Electrum wallet, as well as a scam URL.
Slow fog alert: Bitcoin wallet Electrum "updates phishing" currency theft continues.
Hackers have launched a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on a well-known wallet Electrum server, according to Johnwick.io. Hackers used a botnet of more than 140,000 computers to attack Electrum's nodes and simultaneously deployed malicious nodes. When a user connects to these malicious nodes and sends a transaction using an older version of Electrum, the user is prompted to update the Backdoor Client. If the user installs the client as prompted, the private key is stolen and all digital assets are lost. Millions of dollars of digital currency have been stolen, according to Electrum officials. Devi Security Labs recommends that users of Electrum Wallet update to the latest version of the client via the official website and never use the link in the prompt message.
You can use the Electrum Bitcoin wallet to create native isolated witness addresses that begin with bc1.
Users of Bitcoin wallet Electrum are facing phishing attacks, according to Johnwick.io. Hackers broadcast messages to electrum clients through a malicious server, prompting the user to update to v4.0.0, and if the user is prompted to install this backdoor-carrying client, the private key is stolen and all digital assets are stolen. At the time of writing, at least 1,450 BTCs worth approximately $11.6 million had been stolen from phishing attacks that forged Electrum upgrade alerts. Devi Security Labs hereby suggests that versions of Electrum below 3.3.4 are vulnerable to such phishing attacks, and users using Electrum Wallet are requested to update to the latest version of Electrum3.3.8 via the official website (electrum.org), which has not yet been officially released v4.0.0, and do not use the link in the prompt message to avoid asset losses.
A clone site masquerading as an Electrum SV wallet has emerged. The cloning site has nothing to do with electrum SV and is designed to steal tokens and create chaos in the BSV community.
Bitcoin Wallet Electrum releases Selectrum 4.0 beta support for the Lightning Network.
Electrum Wallet Encrypted Wallet.
The new version of the wallet will also include undersea switching, which allows BTC to pass from the Bitcoin blockchain to the payment channel network LN. For this novelty, Electrum is based on Boltz technology. Electrum will charge a commission for this service.
Users of Bitcoin wallet Electrum are facing phishing attacks, according to Johnwick.io. Hackers broadcast messages to the Electrum client through a malicious server, prompting the user to update to v4.0.0, and if the user follows the prompt to install this "backdoor-carrying client", the private key is stolen and all digital assets are stolen. At the time of writing, at least 1,450 BTCs worth about $11.6 million had been stolen from phishing attacks that faked Electrum upgrade tips. DeViable Security Labs hereby suggests that versions of Electrum below 3.3.4 are vulnerable to such phishing attacks, and users using Electrum Wallet are requested to update to the latest version of Electrum 3.3.8 via the official website (electrum.org), which has not yet been officially released, and do not use the link in the prompt to avoid asset losses.
If you haven't set up Electrum Wallet to be compatible with your phone wallet, you can use the private key to recover the Electrum wallet on your web wallet. Select Wallet - "Private Key" - "Export" on the Electrum wallet and you will export the file qtum-electrum-private-keys.csv or copy only one private key. Select Recover from WIF on your web wallet, paste the private key, and select Confirm. Check that the wallet address is correct. You may need to use Dump as a Key File to save the key file.
Released a new version of Electrum Wallet v0.18.16
In August-September, Bitcoin wallet Electrum was hacked twice, and according to multiple sources, at least 1,450 BTCs worth $11.6 million were stolen from phishing attacks that faked Electrum upgrade tips.
Electrum was launched in 2011 with a lite version of Bitcoin wallet with an open source code under MIT licenses.
Bitcoin Electrum Wallet Developer announces release of version 4.0. This update brings several new features, notably the experimental support for Lightning Network.
BITCOIN, Jan. 8 (Reuters) - Popular wallet developer Electrum has released an emergency patch for a key vulnerability in bitcoin wallets. The vulnerability allows any website hosting an e-wallet to potentially steal a user's cryptocurrency. The vulnerability meant that the password was exposed in the JSONRPC interface, making the hacker completely in control of the wallet. However, the first patch failed to fix the problem, forcing Electrum to release an updated version again Sunday night.
As a service provider, Electrum charges a transaction fee to send Bitcoin. Default fee: 0.2 mBTC fixed rate. (In some cases, the rate can be as low as 0.1 mBTC)
Popular wallet developer Electrum has released an emergency patch for a key vulnerability in its Bitcoin wallet. The vulnerability allows any website hosting electrum wallets to potentially steal a user's cryptocurrency. A vulnerability means that the password is exposed to the JSONRPC interface, implying that the hacker has full control over the wallet. The first patch failed to fix the problem, forcing Electrum to release a second update on Sunday night.
UBTC Electrum Light Wallet Multi-Sign Address Transfer Contract Token Tutorial.
Bitcoin wallet Electrum official Twitter announced that the next version of Electrum will support Lightning online payments. Its lightning node implementation has been consolidated into the main branch of Electrum. Electrum also confirmed that the wallet will adopt a new implementation of in-house development written using Python.
You can use Security Seeds to recover your wallet on any Electrum client, even on the Electrum Wallet online web program.
You buy bitcoins anonymously with cash and send them to your Electrum wallet.
BitGo, which claims to be the provider of the first multi-functional Bitcoin wallet, has 2 of 3 signatures showing that a key must be used to sign a transaction.
Reddit user u/normal_rc: 'The attacker set up a lot of malicious servers. Once a user's Electrum wallet is connected to these servers, they see what appears to be an official message when sending bitcoin transactions, telling them to upgrade the Electrum wallet, which actually contains a fraudulent URL.
electrum bitcoin wallet sign a transaction
Wallet developer Electrum took action to fix the vulnerability, which led to the exposure of thousands of Bitcoin wallets.
According to Next Web, users of Bitcoin wallet Electrum have lost 771 BTCs (worth about $4 million) in phishing attacks since the end of December.
Bitcoin Wallet Electrum has released a 4.0 beta version with new updates that support Lightning Networks and more.
Infected Electrum crypto asset wallet
The Electrum team has also been developing other features. Electrum Wallet users can view the full release notes here.


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Posted on May 4, 2012 AT 04:18pm
Releasing “Game of the Year” editions is the hip thing to do now, so it comes as no surprise that information may have leaked for such an upcoming release for last year’s zombie adventure Dead Island.
According to Siliconera, a filing on the website for the British Board of Film Classification provided a rating for “Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition”, which is listed as hitting on June 30th.
While the filing doesn’t list exactly what the release would contain, it isn’t hard to assume that—if nothing else—it’ll pack in all of the DLC released for Dead Island up to this point.
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The spectacular financial results put up this week by both Home Depot and Lowe’s say a lot about where American retailing — and the overall economy — is headed.
Both stores had impressive number stories to tell. Each reported huge same store sales — Depot up 23.4% and Lowe’s up 34.2% — with significant gains overall on both the top and bottom lines. Coming on top of equally as strong news from Walmart and Target, the home improvement twin’s numbers reinforce and confirm several broad trends within the retailing sector:
• The entire home products sector may be the strongest part of the overall American economy right now. From home improvement to home furnishings to home sales themselves, anything to do with home is feeling the consumer love right now. Obviously, the stay-at-home movement, the lack of spending on apparel, travel and dining out are all contributing to what may turn out to be an unprecedented spurt for the sector. As the fallout from the pandemic shows no signs of any significant decline for the foreseeable future it stands to reason that anything to do with home will continue to prosper.
• Jim Cramer of CNBC called it the greatest wealth transfer in American retailing history and that is clearly true as big dominant retailers continue to put up significant gains in sales and profits, often at the expense of smaller stores. Stores like Depot and Lowe’s — as well as Walmart and Target — were largely allowed to stay open during the spring pandemic shutdown and they accumulated large increases in revenue and market share, a trend that doesn’t appear to be letting up with the reopening of most of retail across the country. Shoppers got into the habit of buying, not just essentials but pretty much everything, at these stores and that will be a new tendency difficult to disrupt. This is a fundamental shift in the retail market share pie and it’s going to be long lived.
• Lastly, reports of the death of physical retailing remain wildly inaccurate. Even as so many marginal operations enter bankruptcy and are often liquidated — Penney and J. Crew among the former and Stein Mart and Pier 1 some of the latter — the strongest retailers are only getting stronger. This is across the board, their physical stores doing as well as their e-commerce businesses, each one playing off the other and presenting a comprehensive and interconnected solution for shoppers. Only those retailing companies that can offer both sides of the shopping equation will ultimately succeed: Amazon, Wayfair, TJX and Ross, take note.
But it’s the strength of anything home-related that is the most compelling take-away from this week’s numbers. “Home is going to continue to be a winner,” Telsey Advisory Group CEO and chief research officer Dana Telsey told CNBC on Tuesday. “It’s an office, an exercise center, an entertainment and now an education center also. I think consumers are basically re-investing in the remodels of their homes for a prolonged period of time.”


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The Rolls-Royce Cullinan might look like an ultra-luxurious SUV from a distance, but it takes a trained eye to see the true potential beneath the vehicle’s angular bodywork. That trained eye does, in fact, exist in the capacity of SPOFEC — a Rolls-Royce-specific tuning division under the watchful eye of NOVITEC. And now, the outfit has devised the perfect widebody + performance tuning kit for the unique flagship.
The SPOFEC Rolls-Royce Cullinan OVERDOSE Widebody SUV is a high-profile revision of its predecessor. After lowering the platform by over 40 millimeters, the company took to the drawing board to accentuate the SUV’s sensual body lines, resulting in a complete front-end redesign, a 12-centimeter widening, and the implementation of OVERDOSE flares at each of its wheel wells. A new rear spoiler and subtle diffusor round out the Cullinan’s aesthetic upgrades, but its what’s under the hood that took us by surprise. Instead of the 570-or-so horses that the original 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 once claimed, SPOFEC has found a way to massage an extra 100+ horsepower out of the beast, resulting in an attractive 685-horsepower and 744 lb-ft of torque. Head to the company’s website to learn more — and if you’re looking to upgrade your own Cullinan, don’t hesitate to inquire.


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Content Related To: Lady Candy Motor Yacht
Charter Yachts Attending The Singapore Yacht Show 2016
Demonstrating the burgeoning popularity of South East Asia in the yachting industry, the Singapore Yacht Show is set to host an impressive list of charter yachts as it gets underway next month.
'Lady Candy' Yacht to attend Monaco Yacht Show
The newly-built 56m/183.7ft luxury charter yacht ‘Lady Candy’ is set to make an impact at this year’s edition of the Monaco Yacht Show.
2014 World Superyacht Awards Finalists Announced Including Numerous Charter Yachts
The finalists for the ninth annual World Superyacht Awards have been announced and include 62 of the finest new builds delivered in 2013, including a large number of luxury superyachts which have joined the Global Charter Fleet.


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According to a experts at internet security firm ESET, alarm bells should resound if you notice your telephone overheating, running gradually or the battery running out inexplicably promptly. All of these symptoms could be a sign that your telephone has been hacked by a cryptojacker. The battery failures and overheating is a result of mining can damage your devices — and the damage can sometimes be permanent.
If your mobile phone( especially if it’s an Android) has started to run gradually, is overheating, or its battery is depleting rapidly for no apparent reason, you should be worried.
NOW WATCH: How Columbia House sold 12 CDS for$ 1
See Also 😛 TAGENDThe number of hackers posing as CEOs over email is increasingMeet the president of Samsung, who says the company’s long-awaited foldable phone is ‘not far away’This 28 -year-old college dropout constructed the world’s best smartphone — but he doesn’t want to be compared to Apple
Read more: feedproxy.google.com


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Tesla Investors Hope IPO Heralds a New Era in Electric Automobiles
San Francisco angel investor Bill Lee says he knew what he was getting himself into four years ago when he decided to invest in Tesla, the Palo Alto, CA electric car company that is expected to go public Tuesday. Much of the media coverage today has focused on the fact that Tesla has not turned a profit since its founding in 2003. So, those who choose to invest are doing so on a high-stakes promise that they are getting in on the ground floor of something that is much more than the sum of its auto parts.
“I hope that the IPO is a turning point where people view Tesla as much more than a car company, but rather as the next great Silicon Valley technology company,” says Lee. Remember the Netscape IPO in 1995? It was the shot across the bow for the Internet age. That’s how Lee sees this moment in green technology history.
“I’m not so concerned with short-term profitability as Tesla is a company going through extremely high growth right now, and that’s the main reason it is unprofitable,” Lee says. “Tesla would be profitable if it were only focused on the Roadster and power-train supply business, but the goal is to increase production by a factor of 30 or more as the company progresses to the Model S. In my opinion, no business can remain profitable when going through that level of growth.”
Indeed, focusing only on the luxury Roadster, with its $100,000 price tag, would place Tesla in the category of niche novelty-car producer, at best. It’s the planned $49,000 Model S, which Tesla plans to release in 2012, that has some investors convinced that there’s a viable car company here.
Tesla made a last-minute decision today to raise the number of available shares to the public from 11.1 million to 13.3 million. Tesla is aiming to price the shares at between $14 and $16 apiece. The extra shares come from existing investors who are cashing in some of their chips at the IPO, including CEO Elon Musk, who likely needs a little liquidity these days in light of reports that, according to Musk himself, he is broke.
The company has raised more than $220 million in VC funding from heavy-hitting firms such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Daimler AG.
But, despite the VC investment, Tesla is still very much a company that has survived due to government push rather than consumer pull. There is very little actual demand for electric cars despite the media’s focus these days on the fashionably green technology, not to mention a certain high-profile oil spill. The U.S. Department of Energy has funded Tesla to the tune of $465 million.
Tesla had opened a technical center in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills in 2007, but closed it down last year.
I checked in with the folks at General Motors today to see if they view the Tesla as a novelty or as offering any kind of real competition to their soon-to-be-released electric-gas hybrid Chevy Volt. I received a very short reply to that: “GM won’t be commenting on Tesla.”
I also asked GM for an update on its own post-bankruptcy IPO. “GM will launch an IPO when the conditions are right and the company is ready,” the company replied in a statement.
Still, back to angel investor Lee’s Netscape comparison. I cannot help but notice that while that ’95 Netscape IPO really did signify the opening of a new frontier, you know what they say about pioneers being the ones with arrows in their backs. Where’s Netscape now? Exactly.
Stay with Xconomy today and tomorrow for more on this story.
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PETALING JAYA (May 15): Food delivery platforms are emerging as the new "landlords" in the new normal brought on by the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
Going beyond selling burgers and ice cream during the MCO/Covid-19
Dine-ins won't die
Cloud kitchens may not work in Malaysia, say F&B operators
The Covid-19 pandemic caught everyone by surprise and those in the food and beverage (F&B) business have to re-strategise to stay afloat. It was especially tough during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period from March 18 to May 3.
During the EdgeProp.my FB Live Fireside Chat: 'The F&B revolution: When customers can’t visit you, what do you do?' which was held today, Inside Scoop co-founder Edmund Tan, myBurgerLab co-founder Chin Ren Yi and Savills Malaysia Retail Services associate director Murli Menon shared their experience during the MCO and what it takes to do business in the current tough environment. The session was moderated by EdgeProp.my writer Natalie Khoo.
Certainly the MCO and Conditional MCO have impacted restaurants and other local F & B players. Many have been forced to depend on takeaways and deliveries which could mean that there will not be a need for as much space for dine-in customers in future. For now, the priority is survival.
“Moving forward, we may consider giving up or reducing dine-ins until the vaccine for Covid-19 is available. But the question now is whether we can survive this current crisis and the next six months. We are trying to win a war, not a battle,” Chin noted.
"We do not want to lay off our staff or cut salaries although we don’t make as much money as we used to. Giving up is not an option," he added.
According to him, thanks to its well-established delivery business, myBurgerLab saw sales pick up in March compared with January and February but due to high third-party delivery charges, it has to double its sales to break even.
“I've always said that we have a new landlord now, which are the delivery players because we are paying them 20% to 30% of the money we earn. We did better in terms of sales, but not in profit,” Chin shared.
Tan concurred, saying that expenses on delivery services exceeded the cost of rental during MCO. One may be able to negotiate the rental of a space and save on rent but on the other hand, F&B players are now forced to rely and spend on delivery services.
Tan said Inside Scoop is also focusing on riding out the Covid-19 crisis. “We shouldn’t be worried about how to make money [at this time] but how to not lose so much money. Giving up is definitely not an option. It is about how hard you fight for now and the next six months,” he added.
Recalling his experience during the MCO, Tan said the biggest challenge for the ice-cream business was the uncertainty and in dealing with fresh ingredients -- in his case, the large volume of fresh milk.
“Our struggles were whether to take or not to take the fresh milk; to open or not to open our outlets and whether to let or not let our staff work. The biggest problem was the uncertainty as no one knows what was going to happen,” he said.
myBurgerLab’s Chin recalled that the first day of MCO was chaotic as he was unsure if the business was considered essential.
“We stayed open the first day and figured out what to do next later. Thankfully, we have been on GrabFood for a very long time. During the MCO, business was good,” Chin shared.
Nonetheless, as the MCO extended from two weeks to almost two months, things became more challenging.
Meanwhile, retail specialist Murli said generally operations were the biggest nightmare for all retailers. However, unlike fashion, food is something essential, hence he believes the impact on the F&B sector would be relatively smaller.
“Never waste a good crisis. It is the time to think out of the box," he said.
Stay safe and get more property insights at EdgeProp.my
For the full report on the virtual Fireside Chat read the May 22, 2020 issue of Edgeprop.my pullout.
Interested to know more about what’s happening in the property market? Click and watch our previous Fireside Chats:


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In its latest tests, Consumer Reports has given LEDs from EcoSmart, GE and Philips significantly higher scores than it gave to most CFLs – but admits that most users won’t save money by making the switch.
The up-front costs of LEDs can be prohibitive, the magazine said, but other factors such as lower energy use and instant brightness could persuade users to make the switch. LEDs also are not affected by being frequently turned on and off.
The biggest problem people have with such bulbs is price. Some 23 percent of those surveyed by Consumer Reports said that LEDs and CFLs cost too much. The most recent round of Consumer Reports tests found good LED choices that cost $25 to $60. And even at $25 per bulb, the best LEDs can save consumers about $130 over their 23-year life-span, versus incandescents. Consumer Reports’ tests also found “plenty of fine, inexpensive” CFLs from EcoSmart, Feit, GE, Sylvania, and Utilitech ranging in price from $1.25 to $18.00. Overall, switching to CFLs can save users around $60 in energy costs and replacement lightbulbs when replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb, Consumer Reports says.
Not all LED bulbs in the Consumer Reports tests were top performers. One cast a “ghastly, bluish light color” and others couldn’t cast light in all directions.
A Department of Energy study released in July found that LEDs have a slight environmental edge over CFLs and a significantly lower environmental impact than incandescent lighting over the lifetime of the products.
LED Manufacturing and Performance found that that the energy these lighting products consume during operation makes up the majority of their environmental impact, compared to the energy consumed in manufacturing and transportation.
The report also found that CFLs have a slightly higher environmental impact than LED lamps on all measures except their contribution to landfills. The aluminum contained in an LED lamp’s large aluminum heat sink causes a greater impact on landfills because of the energy and resources consumed in manufacturing.


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Sheraton Hotel Kampala has announced it will be hosting a special Valentine’s day treat for lovers on Monday, February 14.
According to Jean-Philippe Bittencourt, the hotel General Manager, while Valentine’s day is an annual celebration of of love, friendship, and admiration among people all over the world, the hotel can be left behind in making the day special for lovebirds.
“We have planned special offers for our guests to help them have a memorable celebration. There will be a luxurious dinner at the Seven Seas Restaurant that comes with a three-course meal for two, a bottle of sparkling wine, a flower, chocolate for the ladies, and special entertainment by a saxophonist for shs 400,000 per couple, while our guests at Paradise Restaurant will have a dinner buffet, a bottle of selected house wine as well as a live band performance at Paradise Restaurant at shs300,000 per couple,”Bittencourt told journalists on Thursday.
He noted that lovers could treat themselves and loved ones to spa sessions utilizing any of their offer packages that come with steam and sauna and will run until the end of the month of February.
“To spice up the day, the hotel has planned to give back to their lucky clients through a challenge dubbed #SheratonLove running across our social media platforms for couples to celebrate this day.”
Bittencourt noted that by doing this, Sheraton seeks to give an “unforgettable” valentines day experience to its guests.
“The best is always saved for the last and each couple that attends the dinner will stand a chance to win goodies from the hotel’s arcade shops like Life Care Salon, Raha Jewelers, First Jewelry, Silver Dreams and Eve and Nico Beauty Stores.”
He however emphasized observance of all Covid Standard Operating Procedure by both guests and staff at the hotel.


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Now this is interesting. ASRock have released a BIOS that allows their X370 motherboards to support AMD’s latest Ryzen 5000 Series processors.
Taken from TPU … When AMD announced its 5000 series Ryzen processors, the company has noted that the new CPUs will be able to operate only on the 500 and 400 series chipsets, with a simple BIOS update. That means that millions of motherboards can install the latest CPUs with no problems. Today, we get to see something that is not a usual thing. ASRock has prepared a BIOS for its X370 Taichi motherboard, and it has been leaked at jzelectronic.de. The newly leaked BIOS is said to bring support for AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series of processors codenamed Vermeer. Yes, you are reading that right. ASRock has found a way to bring Vermeer to the unsupported X370 platform.
Although impressive, you must note that the BIOS is in the alpha stage of development, which means that it is enriched with possible bugs and glitches, so it is not recommended for use for now. AMD is against this, and said for Tom’s Hardware that “AMD has no plans to enable or support AMD Ryzen 5000 series on AMD 300 series chipsets.” That means that ASRock has produced one-off software and it is still a question will the company further develop this new “P6.61” BIOS. You can download it at the jzelectronic.de website but proceed with caution.


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There is no free lunch indeed!
In the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Ghana took a bold step to provide relief to its citizens.
Between April and September 2020, over GH¢1 billion was spent to grant free electricity to lifeline consumers and absorb a substantial 50% of all electricity bills for residential and commercial customers.
However, the adage “there is no free lunch” proved true as subsequent fiscal measures aimed at recouping losses and sustaining economic recovery brought about a significant shift.
2021: A taxing twist in the tale
In 2021, the government responded to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic by introducing the COVID-19 Health Levy on the supply and importation of goods and services with some exemptions.
This move had a ripple effect, leading to an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL). The fiscal landscape was evolving, setting the stage for a delicate dance between relief and revenue generation.
2022: Lifeline consumer bracket truncated – eye clear?
To bolster revenue and address the mounting costs of power generation, the government decided, in 2022, to truncate the lifeline consumer bracket for electricity. From 0-50 kWh, it was reduced to 0-30 kWh. This shift, while driven by economic necessity, left many consumers priced out after having enjoyed free electricity during the pandemic.
The government’s balancing act between fiscal responsibility and providing affordable services faced its first major challenge.
2023: Adapting to economic realities with quarterly tariff adjustments
In 2023, recognizing the need for a more adaptive approach, the government introduced a quarterly utility tariff adjustment system.
This innovative system aimed to navigate the complex economic realities, providing a more responsive mechanism for regulating utility tariffs. It signaled a commitment to finding sustainable solutions amidst an ever-changing landscape.
2024: VAT imposed on high consumption – the final chapter in the recovery exercise?
As part of the government’s comprehensive COVID-19 recovery program, a new fiscal measure was implemented on January 1, 2024. VAT was charged on residential electricity customers consuming more than 50 kWh.
This marked a culmination of efforts to recover losses and generate revenue post-pandemic.
The government, having initially provided relief, now faced the challenging task of striking a balance between economic recovery and the financial burdens placed on its citizens.
Many consumers were priced out after enjoying power for free during the heat of the pandemic and households who enjoyed a 50% discount on their bills their the pandemic have been paying more after the free lunch and they will definitely pay more as a result of this tax move.


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Meghan Markle has been visiting a mosque near Grenfell Tower, according to NBC News. Watch to find out more about her visits!
The royal family, Adele and more are honoring the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Prince William, Prince Harry and Duchess Kate attended a memorial service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to remember the 71 lives lost in the tragedy. Adele was there too, and reportedly wiped away tears during the service.
© © 2017 Columbia Pictures Industries , Inc. and MRC II Distribution Company L.P. All Rights Reserved.
© ℗ © 2012 Simon & Schuster Audio
IVANKA READY FOR FALL: The Ivanka Trump brand will be opening a boutique in Trump Tower this fall, according to sources.
As for whether the label’s full selection — dresses, sportswear, shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories — will be available remains to be seen. A spokeswoman for the company declined comment Friday about any specifics regarding square footage, the actual launch date and whether company president Abigail Klem is concerned that the store may appear to some to be a conflict of interest even though Ivanka has stepped away from the company.
Prior to her father’s inauguaration in January, Trump announced that she would give up her role running her fashion brand as well as her post as executive vice president of acquisitions and development at the Trump Organization. Her stepping back followed the appointment of her husband Jared Kushner in as a senior adviser to the Trump administration. At that time, her husband’s attorney Jamie S. Gorelick said in a statement issued to Vanity Fair that Trump would also “sell all of her common stock and restructure her participation in Trump Organization transactions so that she no longer benefits from the profits.”
The new Ivanka Trump Collection store will not be the only
This is one place that isn’t likely to give her the boot.
Fashion News, Celebrity Style and Fashion Trends – HuffPost Style
FASHION NEWS UPDATE-Visit Shoe Deals Online today for the hottest deals online for shoes!
“The Dark Tower” feels like a throwback — a trim, competently executed “B” popcorn movie, adapted from Stephen King’s books with ample action but also lots of clunky exposition. That’s not a great prescription for a would-be summer blockbuster, but more an endorsement to watch when it hits cable.
© © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc.
COLOR CHART: Sparkles on the hour weren’t enough for the fashion crowd. So on Wednesday night, the Eiffel tower lit up in an array of colorful animations to mark Paris Fashion Week, an initiative of mayor Anne Hidalgo.
“We use the Eiffel very rarely, only for planetary-size events,” said the politician, who wore a Dior coat. “It’s the commitment of the city, and of the industry of fashion.” She plans to reprise the illuminations every season.
“Paris is backing its designers and fashion. It is a magnificent sector that employs many people and make people dream,” she added.
Inès de la Fressange, Puig fashion chief Ralph Toledano, Dior’s Sidney Toledano, Chanel’s Bruno Pavlovsky and Saint Laurent’s Francesca Bellettini were among fashion folk who helped push the button during a ceremony at the foot of the 1889 metal structure.
Agnès Troublé, the designer behind the agnès b. label and a longtime supporter of Hidalgo, was sporting a dress she designed bearing a photo print of the Eiffel Tower.
“I love the sparkles — one of the most inspiring things France ever did,” said Christian Lacroix, who has been holed up at the Comédie-Française for an upcoming production of “Roméo et Juliette,” directed by Éric Ruf.
You will not be surprised to hear that skeptics believe it can never be stable against the elements. And its own weight would crush it.
So…what kind of tall shape would be more stable than a skinny tower? How about a mostly-empty pyramid (more like a skeleton of a pyramid) with a solid tube core for wind energy production (from the updraft)?
See my old blog post on pyramid-shaped space towers here. I didn’t think about launching anything from the top. I’ll add that 🙂
Devilishly Cute – The Eiffel Tower – … 2:16
Animals on the Internet are cute — too cute — so Liza Treyger, Beth Stelling and Sam Morril uncover the evil thoughts lurking beneath their cuddly façades.
Watch full episodes of @midnight now: http://on.cc.com/17MOT5T
Submitted by: @midnight
Keywords: Chris Hardwick @midnight at midnight After Midnight Nerdist @midnight full episodes Liza Treyger Beth Stelling Sam Morril travel airline airplane comedy central stand up comedy comedians comedy central comedians comedy funny comedian funny video comedy videos stand up videos funny jokes funny clips hilarious videos hilarious clips
© © 2011 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Today is Bastille Day, which means it's time to celebrate all things French—especially the country's beauty products. Because if there's one thing the French know it's beauty. It is the home to icon Brigitte Bardot,…
© ℗ © 2012 Simon & Schuster Audio
NEW YORK (AP) — The first stair-climb race at One World Trade Center — the nation’s tallest building — will raise money for military veterans struggling with combat-linked disabilities, two foundations formed after the 9/11 attacks announced Monday.
Officials of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Captain Billy Burke Foundation detailed plans for the athletic event at Burke’s firehouse, Engine Company 21 in midtown Manhattan. Burke lost his life on 9/11 along with Firefighter Stephen Siller from Squad 1 in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Proceeds from the May 17 tower climb will support service members who’ve been catastrophically injured in war and help educate children who’ve lost a parent. The money also will help build 200 new homes for veterans with the worst disabilities, mostly triple or quadruple amputees. About 40 houses have been completed.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Siller was off-duty when he ran with over 60 pounds of gear through the blocked-off Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center. “Our foundation couldn’t be more honored to be chosen to hold the first stair-climb event at One World Trade Center,” said his brother Frank Siller, foundation chairman and CEO.
There’s also a “virtual stair climb” — using elevators — for people who want to participate but are unable to handle the stairs.
Participation is limited to the first 1,000 people who register by May 10. They’ll all wear computerized chips that will record their finish time. The entry fee is $ 100, and there’s a $ 250 minimum fundraising requirement.
Sept. 11 first responders will lead the way into the building for the climb, which is to the 90th floor — 180 flights of stairs — of the 104-story building.
Burke led firefighters on the day two terrorist-hijacked planes pierced the twin towers.
His brother, Michael Burke, said Monday that even though Billy knew that the south tower had already fallen, he chose to remain behind to rescue two workers, one in a wheelchair.
When the captain was urged to leave, he responded, “‘this is my job, this is who I am.’ Then he went on and the tower collapsed,” said Burke, who stopped talking several times, his voice breaking.
“What he did that day should be inspiration for us to keep going,” the foundation board member said.
In May, as climbers reach the higher floors and their knees and backs “are killing them,” he said, “just think of the words of Captain William Burke to his men: ‘keep going, I’m right behind you.'”
We asked a bunch of women to define Eiffel Tower and act it out. Do you think you know more slang than we do? Share what you know in the comments.
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All three of its scenes star that stunning mountain of a man, Nick Tower. In a duo with Kaden, Nick takes a dildo up his ass for the first time, and then in a three-way with Domenic and Tanner, Nick bottoms for the first time. All you fans of Nick will be especially excited by the third scene. It’s a long erotic sequence of Nick dancing and stripping for us that is exclusively available on this movie!
In a duo with Kaden, Nick takes a dildo up his ass for the first time, and then in a three-way with Domenic and Tanner, Nick bottoms for the first time.
Scene Number: 2
Studio Name: Active Duty


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Netflix’s latest cooking show competition has dropped and now it’s time to meet the cast and judges of Snack Vs Chef.
Hosted by comedians Megan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu, this new food competition sees 12 chefs go head-to-head in the ultimate snack showdown to win $50,000.
The show dropped today, November 30, on the streaming site and here’s all you need to know about the cast and judges.
What is Snack Vs Chef?
In the head-to-head cooking show, chefs battle it out to create some of the most iconic snacks in the world, including Oreos, Cheetos and Kit Kat bars.
Not only will the 12 chefs have this enormous challenge, they then have to come up with an original snack of their own, inspired by the legendary ones.
As this is a cooking competition, expect to see a lot of creative action in the kitchen as the contestants come under the scrutiny of the judges.
Snack vs Chef Netflix cast
The show will be hosted by Megan Stalter and Hari Kondabolu. Kondabolu is an American stand-up comic and creator of 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu.
Stalter is an American comedic actor best known for her roles in Hacks, and Queer As Folk (2022). She will also feature in upcoming movie Cora Bora.
Of course, the 12 chefs – who are battling to be crowned the winner and take home the grand prize – make up the cast along with the judges.
Snack Vs Chef judges
Snack Vs Chef’s judges are living out every adult’s childhood dream – getting to go to work and eat snacks and candy all day long.
First up is Helen Park, culinary director of La Boite. She previously worked as culinary innovation specialist for Nestle and was culinary director of product development, restaurants and venues for Whole Foods.
Judge number two is Ali Bouzari. He is a culinary scientist, author, educator and co-founder of Pilot R&D. Bouzari has a PhD in food biochemistry and has featured in the 30 Under 30 List of both Forbes and Zagat.


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The Saturdays And Cher Lloyd Enjoy New York Fashion Week In The Big Apple
13 September 2012, 12:40 | Updated: 13 September 2012, 12:58
The 'Want U Back' singer gave a catwalk performance while the UK girl band also enjoyed the event.
The Saturdays and Cher Lloyd have all been spotted out enjoying New York Fashion Week in the Big Apple this week while showing off their best looks at the high profile industry event.
'All Fired Up' singers The Saturdays have been out in the US for the past month shooting their first TV pilot for E!, and headed out to New York last week ready for the event, where band member Rochelle Wiseman was also reunited with new husband Marvin Humes from JLS.
The five-piece band got to sit front row for the Milly by Michelle Smith spring/summer 2013 collection show, and tweeted their excitement about getting to be part of the annual fashion showcase.
"Just been to the amazing #Milly fashion show in nY! #NYFW," Una Healy tweeted yesterday (12th September), while Mollie King posted: "Such an incredible show today @millybymichelle!! Really inspiring! Thank you for having us! xXx."
Check out a picture of The Saturdays attending New York Fashion Week below (Credit: Twitter):
Mollie wore a leopard print miniskirt and black lace top for their outing yesterday while Una opted for a pink formal blouse and black skirt and bandmate Vanessa White was pictured in a red and black minidress.
Newlywed Rochelle was seen in a pink skirt and beige top while fellow The Saturdays star Frankie Sandford was in a red leather skirt with a black blouse.
View a picture of Mollie, Frankie, Rochelle, Una and Vanessa enjoying New York Fashion Week below (Credit: Rex Features):
Fellow UK star Cher Lloyd also got in on the New York Fashion Week festivities when she performed at the Tumbler and Tipsy event the day before (11th September.
Check out Cher Lloyd performing on stage to celebrate New York Fashion Week below (Credit: Getty):
Cher was pictured in a backless snakeskin patterned top and bright pink miniskirt for her catwalk performance of debut US single 'Want U Back'.
The Saturdays are expected to return to the UK soon ready to promote their newly announced single 'What About Us'.


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The company has collaborated with more than 100 influencers
Sirona has launched #StainButNoPain campaign for its new product, Period Stain Remover. The company has collaborated with more than 100 Instagram and YouTube influencers including Karishma Mehta, founder, Officialhumansofbombay, beauty and lifestyle blogger Payal Banerjee, Sameera Sherief, Naveena, Janani Ashok Kumar, among others. With these collaborations, the company plans to utilise the strong reach of the influencers and spread the word amongst the consumers. These influencers have a high average engagement rate on social media platforms and will lend a voice to this highly innovative product, Sirona said in a statement.
Period stains are an issue that every menstruator faces at some point during their cycle but there are no specific go-to solutions or hacks for this, as there are for other stains such as turmeric, oil, wine, mud, and others, Deep Bajaj, CEO and co-founder of Sirona, noted.
“As a result, they have learned to live with the inconvenience of rubbing these stains to remove them or getting clothes spoilt. We have come up with an innovative product to address this issue by launching India’s first-Period Stain Remover that makes it easier for menstruators to wash away period stains,” Bajaj said.
The newly launched product is India’s first-period stain remover, Sirona claimed in a statement. It is plant-based and contains bio-enzymes that remove both old and new bloodstains without bleaching the clothes or impacting the fabric quality, the statement added.
Sirona offers products that address unsolved issues that women confront from puberty to menopause. Some of its products include Pain Relief Patch for period pain, PeeBuddy Urination Funnel, Oxo-biodegradable Disposal Bags, Rash-free Black Pads.


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We’re growing increasingly used to our smartphones and tablets taking over certain aspects of our lives. They’ve already revolutionized the ways in which we perform basic communication, and each year, and with each new model, they seem to take over some new function. With sources like limitless gaming apps and entertainment streaming services, they’re changing the ways in which we enjoy leisure time; with apps like Sharefile and even network inclusive cloud services, they’re changing the ways in which we store and share data securely; and they’re even influencing the ways in which we travel with services for booking travel reservations, accommodations, etc.
But now, mobile technology seems to be on the verge of changing something much more deeply ingrained in our way of life: how we view and control television. For some 40 years, TV viewing has been largely the same, in terms of method and practice. Of course, in that span of time the television industry has expanded enormously, and we can now enjoy all kinds of content we couldn’t access even 5 years ago. But the format has been the same since the 70’s: we sit down, we grab the remote, and we watch TV and flip channels. It’s one of the most robotic practices in our lives.
As illuminated recently by Business Insider, however, this basic practice may be about to change, and it’s because Americans are increasingly distracted by their phones and tablets while watching television. This article claims that 85% of American television watchers have a mobile device in hand while tuning in to TV; meanwhile, Nielsen states that 70% of TV-time tweets are actually sent during programs, rather than during commercials! These numbers indicate that people are interacting both more and less with television. On the one hand, people seem less inclined to change channels during commercials, or focus 100% on a show. On the other hand, people are clearly very busy sharing their opinions and thoughts on shows, which is a whole different kind of involvement.
In addition to this relative social revolution occurring in the way we watch television, there is also a possibility that most of us will soon be using our mobile devices to actually control our TVs and channels. This goes back to the figure of 85% of Americans already holding mobile devices when watching television. It’s also already showing in some new mobile products. Consider, for example, the LG G2, a brand new high-end smartphone that among its fairly impressive array of features counts a sort of application for designing and hooking up your own television remote on your phone.
Ultimately, it seems that the mobile revolution is still growing and expanding to new areas of our lives. And with mobile phone use rampant among TV watchers, it seems only a matter of time before ordinary television is catered to our social media needs, and before we can control television from our devices.


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In one sense, the day Paul Allen bought a magazine in Cambridge was the beginning of the end for the newsstand that sold it to him. Allen showed the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics to his buddy, geeky Harvard student Bill Gates, and the computer revolution began to unfold. Today, Out of Town News in Harvard Square is facing closure, its stock no longer attractive to an Internet Nation.
"I can still remember grabbing the Popular Electronics as if it was
yesterday," Allen, who once worked for Honeywell in suburban Boston, told the Boston Globe. Gates had also recalled the moment, in a 1995 Newsweek essay: "As we read excitedly about the first truly personal computer, Paul and
I didn't know exactly how it would be used, but we were sure it would
change us and the world of computing. We were right. The
personal-computer revolution happened and it has affected millions of
The iconic newsstand is now looking for a rescuer, though, so far, it apparently won't be either of the two Microsoft co-founding multi-billionaires. The key to survival is to diversify the stand's sales, says one observer. Doug Campbell, the owner of Seattle's Bulldog News, can speak to that. When newsprint sales dipped, he also began successfully peddling calendars, notebooks and coffee, whatever it took to stave off darkness.
The Globe says that Out of Town News, opened in 1955 and subsequently placed on the National Register of Historic Places, had a few other notable visitors as well, including John Kenneth Galbraith, who each day bought a copy of Le Monde; Julia Child, who came for the
cooking magazines; and Robert Frost, who stopped by - perhaps on a snowy evening - to get directions


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Alaska Marijuana Control Board Releases Full Regulations
After months of meetings and deliberation, the Alaska Marijuana Control Board has finally unveiled its full proposal of marijuana regulations. Packed into the 100+ page document are rules regarding marijuana taxation, distribution, edibles, as well as the controversial issue of social clubs.
Under this latest iteration of proposed regulations, marijuana businesses would be barred from setting up shop within 500 feet of a school, a recreation or youth center, a building in which religious services are regularly conducted, or a correctional facility.
If any of the aforementioned facilities were to be built within the buffer zone of a pre-existing marijuana business, that business would not be required to change its location.
Marijuana products would be required to be packaged in an opaque container that is four millimeters or greater in thickness and made of heat sealed plastic. The package must be designed to be “significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open; but not normally difficult for adults to use properly.”
In addition, marijuana products would be required to be labeled with the following statements:
- “Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming.”
- “Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.”
- “There may be health risks associated with consumption of marijuana.”
- “For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.”
- “Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.”
There was some debate among the board regarding whether to allow marijuana cultivators the ability to acquire a marijuana testing license. According to Juneau Empire, board members expressed concern over the possibility of marijuana cultivators altering test results.
“Just one word: Volkswagen,” said board member Loren Jones.
The most contentious part of the draft regulations is the ruling on marijuana social clubs. Since marijuana was legalized in Alaska, there has been endless controversy over this issue and it is unlikely to abate barring swift legislative action.
At the heart of the issue is the fact that the voter initiative that legalized marijuana in the state only outlined four marijuana license types: retail marijuana store, marijuana cultivation facility, marijuana product manufacturing facility and marijuana testing facility.
As such, the MCB only has authority to regulate those four license types. Some argue that the board should ban social clubs until the legislature takes action, while others believe that the board should stay silent on the issue.
Ultimately, the MCB voted to ban marijuana social clubs for the time being. While board members were not opposed to the idea of social clubs, some felt that it would not be prudent to allow a business not specifically authorized.
“We need some legislative guidance on this,” board member Mark Springer told Alaska Dispatch News. “I think that right now, since (clubs are not) authorized, we may as well say they’re not.”
Even more controversial is a provision that would ban any person from obtaining a marijuana license that operated a “delivery service, a marijuana club, or a marijuana establishment illegally … unless the board finds that person has diligently worked with the board to comply with all current laws and regulations relating to marijuana.”
What this means is that those that continue to thumb their noses to the MCB and operate marijuana social clubs or delivery services will run the risk of never being able to legally operate a marijuana business.
As it stands, the draft regulations have not yet been officially approved and the MCB will be receiving public commentary until November 11, 2015.
The post Alaska Marijuana Control Board Releases Full Regulations appeared first on MJI News.


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New Delhi, March 24 2017: Google India has joined the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to launch a set of initiatives aimed at empowering citizens: enabling a safe and secure digital payments experience, imparting digital skills for artisans and Android skills training for students and developers.
Said Aruna Sundarajan, Secretary, MEITY : “The Ministry of Electronics and IT intends to give impetus to the Prime Minister’s recent call for a 'New India'. Collaboration with Google will be hugely beneficial in harnessing the capabilities of technology for the “India growth” story.”
|Added Rajan Anandan, VP, SouthEast Asia and India, Google: “We are delighted to support Honourable PM Modi’s vision of creating a ‘New india’ where technology unleashes a wave of new opportunities. We are committed to and look forward to working with MEITY across these broad range of initiatives and help every Indian to leverage the power of the Internet.”
As India moves to a less cash society through adoption of digital payments, Google India and MEITY will support the launch of a ‘Digital Payments Security Alliance’ in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). The Alliance will bring together several stakeholders from the ecosystem including Banks, Fintech Companies and Government. The Alliance will enable key initiatives to make security a foundation for India’s twin pronged Digital and Financial Inclusion Programs. A campaign to create community awareness on safe and secure practices, as users adopt digital/mobile payments, capacity building through appropriate Train the Trainer Programs for CSCs, Financial Inclusion Agencies, will be some of the key priorities.
“Digital Unlocked” for Artisans
Handicrafts industry with over 7 million artisans provides the second largest source of employment in India, after agriculture. Further, it has a huge impact on export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. Google India which had announced Digital Unlocked, a program to impart training to SMBs earlier this year will extend this training in partnership with MEITY to over 100,000 artisans per year across India. The aim is to enable them to tap into newer markets through improved visibility and discoverability of their products through the internet.
The training will be delivered by National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT). Google India will equip the National Institute trainers with training modules and content. And they will in turn do the outreach by leveraging the 10,000 NIELIT centres across the country. Additionally, Google India will also provide mobile training labs to reach artisan clusters across India.
The majority of India’s Internet user base today access the Internet from their mobile phones and almost all the future Internet users in India and many of the world’s emerging countries will be mobile only. There is a huge opportunity for India to become a global leader in mobile app development. Towards this, Google had announced the launch of its Android Skilling program with an aim of training two million developers in India. This included developing a specially-designed instructor-led training program course curriculum. Google will extend this course curriculum to the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) who will in turn train over 100K developers and students through its network of centres.
Other initiatives that Google India and MEITY will undertake in India include: proliferating the Indic web; enhancing government’s online presence especially on mobile platforms to enable citizen engagement and training and capacity building programs on digital tools.


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Cabela's is open for business | News
GRANDVILLE, Mich. (WZZM) - The Grandville Cabela's is now open for business. The long-awaited store opened at 11 a.m. Thursday with an arrow shot through the ribbon to open the doors. Thousands of people filed in to buy hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.
The first customer in line, Matt Kruchowski of Wyoming, had been waiting since Wednesday afternoon. He was rewarded with a $500 gift certificate. "Worth the wait" he told WZZM 13's Peter Ross.
Customers received free coffee, donuts, and hand warmers while they waited in the cold.
"The passion here, is unlike anything I have ever seen in any store we've ever opened," said Cabela's CEO, Tommy Millner. This is Cabela's 43rd store in North America.
Aisles and check-out counters were jammed throughout the day. "Where camo and cash come to meet" said one customer.
Watch the video for Peter Ross' live report at Noon with the opening shot and the crowds and click here to see Sarah Barwacz's reports from the Morning News.


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- December 20, 2019 / 5 min readOpen Secret offers cookies mainly for kids that contain nuts and chocolates as primary ingredients.
Healthy snacks startup Open Secret has secured an undisclosed amount in seed capital led by Matrix Partners. The round has also seen participation from Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Snapdeal's Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, and Godrej Consumer Products’ CEO Vivek Gambhir.
Operated by Immaculate Bites Pvt Ltd, the startup will use the fresh capital to hire talent outside of the top management team, and build its technological capabilities for sourcing and a distribution network.
Launched by Ahana Gautam and Udit Kejriwal in January this year, Open Secret offers cookies mainly for kids that contain nuts and chocolates as primary ingredients. The food and beverage startup is looking to take a swing at the healthy snacks market in India. The company’s first set of products target sweet snacks that are meant to be packed along with school tiffins.
Ahana Gautam said, “We are committed to addressing a mother’s guilt by providing better options and enabling her to make winning choices for the family.”
Building omni-channel distribution
Open Secret is targeting at building an omni-channel distribution where its products are available through e-commerce players like Amazon, Flipkart as well as a range of large format offline retailers.
Sanjot Majhi, Vice President at Matrix India, stated, “Open Secret is targeting the children’s snacking white-space, with a unique combination of taste and health, something both children and mothers can love.”
Other fundraise in the healthy snacks segment
In the recent past, the healthy snacks segment has recorded a few transactions.
In October 2019, protein bar maker And Nothing Else, a company launched by a former Unilever executive earlier this year, raised seed funding from Matrix Partners and Sauce.vc.
In July 2019, To Be Healthy Foods Pvt Ltd, the healthy snacks maker, received funding from early-stage investment firm Ankur Capital.
A unit of Parle Products Pvt Ltd, which owns the popular biscuit brand Parle-G, backed healthy snack bar maker WIMWI Foods Pvt Ltd in January 2019.
In December last year, Nutrisattva Foods Pvt Ltd, which provides protein-based functional foods under the Proliva brand, had raised funding from the Mumbai Angels Network.
In June 2018, Naturell India Pvt. Ltd, which makes nutrition bars under the Rite Bite brand, got investment from homegrown private equity firm Rabo Equity Advisors Pvt Ltd. In the same month, an early-stage investment firm Sprout Venture Partners and a few high-net-worth individuals invested in Wholesome Habits Pvt Ltd, which sells healthy snack bars under the brand name Eat Anytime.
Search for top Restaurant Suppliers in your city


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SAN FRANCISCO—MWW Group has opened its eighth full-service office in San Francisco. The office will specialize in technology, corporate and executive communications and brand positioning, including business-to-business, financial relations, consumer marketing and crisis communications management. The company also announced the appointment of Monica Sarkar and Larry Yu as vice presidents.
Sarkar, who previously held senior communications positions at Hewlett-Packard Company and Compaq Computer, will manage the office. Yu joins from Cisco Systems, and brings more than a decade of technology and consumer marketing experience.
“This is an exciting time for MWW as we continue to grow our nationwide presence and extend our reach to yet another major West Coast city,” says Michael Kempner, MWW president and CEO. “Together, Monica and Larry bring extraordinary experience managing all aspects of corporate and executive communications for some of the most respected technology brands and executives in the world.”
Prior to joining MWW, Sarkar was director of corporate media relations at Hewlett-Packard. Before joining MWW, Yu was manager of, executive communications at Cisco Systems.


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This year, South Africa celebrates 25 years of democracy, a milestone for the country and the foundation of a booming tourism industry. In 1993, 3.4 million tourists travelled to South Africa, contributing 4.6% to the national economy. The number of international arrivals has quadrupled since then and now stands at 10.6 million.
South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom, explains that the nation’s tourism offering has evolved considerably since democracy was installed: “If the entire value chain is taken into account, the total contribution of the travel industry amounts to 8.9% of the gross domestic product. In 2017, tourism directly and indirectly supported around 1.5 million jobs, 9.5% of total employment. By 2028, the number is expected to grow to 2.1 million jobs”.


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A 39-year-old employee at Melton’s Morrisons has helped the supermarket chain win a national first aid award after saving a customer’s life by using the store’s defibrillator.
The actions of Matthew Griffiths in responding quickly to help a man who had collapsed in the lift with a full cardiac arrest were crucial in helping him recover.
Morrisons has placed a defibrillator - which can re-start a heart by delivering an electric shock- in all of its 494 stores in the UK and Matthew’s was one of five in-store incidents where the device has saved a life.
The company’s attitude to safeguarding the health of customers has now led to it winning a prestigious St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes award.
Matthew was alerted as a qualified first aider after the middle-aged man was found slumped in the lift which leads from the car park.
He checked for vital signs, found the man had neither a pulse or a heart beat and then began performing CPR on his chest.
Matthew, who lives in Wymondham Way in Melton, then grabbed the store defibrillator from the nearby customer services department and began to use that on the stricken customer.
“I managed to get a pulse and a heart beat starting after using the defibrillator,” he told the Melton Times.
“I was with him for 10 or 15 minutes before the paramedics arrived and they told me I had saved his life.
“About four weeks later I got a letter from the man’s wife thanking me for saving his life and then he wrote himself to say he was recovering which was very special.
“It was pretty awesome to have done something like that for someone and quite overwhelming.”
The defibrillator has been in the store for about 18 months and Matthew, who has worked for Morrisons for a decade, would like to see them provided more widely.
He added: “We have one in all our stores. They are quite straight forward to use and I think they should be available in all big stores and everywhere where there are large numbers of people gathering.”
The supermarket chain won its St John Ambulance award in a category which celebrates those who stepped forward when it mattered most to help people with first aid, to support communities and have a positive impact on health.
Morrisons have spent £500,000 on its life-saving in-store initiative, funded by the retailer’s charitable arm, Morrisons Foundation, and as part of it, more than 2,300 employees attended sessions with St John Ambulance volunteers on how to use defibrillators and give CPR.
Gary Mills, group retail director of Morrisons, said: “We hope it’s reassuring for customers, colleagues and the local community to know that we have defibrillators in Morrisons.
“We have staff trained in first aid and CPR but a defibrillator boosts a person’s chances of survival in the event of a cardiac arrest so we’re pleased to have them in our stores.”
Mark Farmer, director of first aid services at St John Ambulance, said: “Our Everyday Heroes awards recognise those who give and champion first aid to make a real difference.
“This huge undertaking by Morrisons to keep people safe has already reaped the rewards of lives saved and is a most deserving winner of our Workplace Hero award.
“Up to seven out of 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest could survive if they are treated with a defibrillator within the first five minutes.
“We know from our research that members of the public would like to see more of these vital devices in their neighbourhood, so we encourage other businesses to install defibrillators as a matter of urgency.”


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For the second time in a row, the Prolight+Sound trade show will be cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic. In order to still be able to offer its customers and partners a contact point for information and personal conversation, the company Steinigke Showtechnic is organizing a “digital show” on April 20th, 2021.
“We miss the direct, personal exchange with our customers and partners,” explains Anja Metz, Head of Corporate Communications. “Therefore, what the trade fairs used to automatically entail, we now want to pick up at least virtually. At our digital trade show, we want to enable face-to-face conversations. We want to provide information and entertain at the same time.”
In concrete terms, the concept envisions that customers will be able to find out about new products on the website www.steinigke.de during the day on April 20th, 2021, and receive live advice via video chat. In the evening, a livestream will take place from 8 p.m., which will be accessible via the company’s Facebook page as well as via the website. In this livestream, various use cases from the areas of installation, show, theater and mobile DJ will be shown. Product experts Andreas Zöllner and Peter Zahn will have their say and present their highlights from the product range. Viewers will have the opportunity to send in live questions and provide comments.
“Whether we can actually replace the real trade fair with a digital show remains to be seen,” says Matthias Schwab, Managing Director of Steinigke Showtechnic. “What can be said with certainty, however, is that we are preparing something interesting and hope that our customers and partners will enjoy this alternative and take something away from it.”
For more information on the digital trade show, visit Steinigke Showtechnic’s Facebook page and website at www.steinigke.de on April 20, 2021.