Latest news with #MikeMartin
Wall Street Journal
22-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Popular Fitness App Strava Clinches Valuation of More Than $2 Billion
Strava, the popular running and exercise app, has completed a fresh round of fundraising valuing the business at $2.2 billion including debt, Chief Executive Mike Martin said. The company is also announcing its second acquisition in two months. The app surged in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when people were going outdoors more for exercise, and has continued to ride health trends.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Businesses to be shelters for women feeling unsafe
Businesses in Kent have joined an initiative to create safe spaces for women and girls who feel unsafe. Tunbridge Wells' Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin and local women's safety organisation #TogetherAsAllies invited more than 150 businesses in the town to become a shelter as part of the Safe Havens initiative. Laura Toop, who founded the organisation, said: "People can feel vulnerable throughout the day, it's not necessarily associated to something that is just [in the] evening, so these places will be very visible." Businesses involved will display a Safe Haven sign and will help people call a taxi, charge their phone and offer a space to call an emergency contact. Ms Toop added: "So often people are walking down the street and think, 'will they accept me in?' Or, 'can I step in and I'm not going to get turned away?' "But with a Safe Haven sticker, they'll know that they're not going to get turned away." The organisation #TogetherAsAllies is also offering specialist training to businesses so staff know how to respond to vulnerable people seeking help. Business will also be given a support pack that signposts to local services. The plan is to extend the initiative to other towns in the future. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Technology helping keep women safe on the streets More bus stops to get CCTV so women feel safer Public asked to identify unsafe areas for women #TogetherAsAllies
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Tunbridge Wells shops to be shelters for women feeling unsafe
Businesses in Kent have joined an initiative to create safe spaces for women and girls who feel Wells' Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin and local women's safety organisation #TogetherAsAllies invited more than 150 businesses in the town to become a shelter as part of the Safe Havens Toop, who founded the organisation, said: "People can feel vulnerable throughout the day, it's not necessarily associated to something that is just [in the] evening, so these places will be very visible."Businesses involved will display a Safe Haven sign and will help people call a taxi, charge their phone and offer a space to call an emergency contact. Ms Toop added: "So often people are walking down the street and think, 'will they accept me in?' Or, 'can I step in and I'm not going to get turned away?'"But with a Safe Haven sticker, they'll know that they're not going to get turned away."The organisation #TogetherAsAllies is also offering specialist training to businesses so staff know how to respond to vulnerable people seeking will also be given a support pack that signposts to local plan is to extend the initiative to other towns in the future.
The Guardian
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former UK special forces personnel accuse colleagues of war crimes
Former UK special forces personnel have accused colleagues of committing war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, alleging that they murdered children. Graphic accounts of routine executions of handcuffed prisoners and the killings of people in their sleep were handed to the BBC, which reported that weapons were planted during cover-ups. The new allegations of war crimes span more than a decade, much longer than the three years currently being examined by a British public inquiry. Members of the SBS, the Royal Navy's elite special forces regiment, are accused for the first time, along with soldiers from the SAS – who have been in the spotlight of the inquiry. Veterans who spoke to the BBC spoke of a 'mob mentality' among some former colleagues who were described as 'lawless' and exhibiting 'serious psychopathic traits'. 'They handcuffed a young boy and shot him,' said one veteran of the SAS in Afghanistan. 'He was clearly a child, not even close to fighting age.' The government has said that anyone with any evidence should contact the public inquiry. Mike Martin, a Liberal Democrat MP and member of the Defence Select Committee, said the accounts echoed those of Afghan families. 'This is the latest in a long series of evidence that we have heard relating to war crimes committed by British special forces in Afghanistan,' he told the BBC Today programme on Monday. 'When we all joined the army and went overseas to serve, we did it because we were exercising legal judgment and exercising force in a legal way. And often when we did that we put ourselves in danger.' He added: 'To hear now that the elite soldiers were casting aside those rules deliberately lets us down.' Panorama also claimed that David Cameron was repeatedly warned during his tenure as prime minister that British Special Forces were killing civilians in Afghanistan. His spokesperson said it was 'right that we await the official findings of the inquiry'. They added that 'any suggestion that Lord Cameron colluded in covering up allegations of serious criminal wrongdoing is total nonsense'. The allegations are based on interviews conducted by investigators from the BBC's Panorama programme, from more than 30 veterans who served with or alongside UK special force in Iraq or Afghanistan. Richard Bennett, the UN-appointed special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, said the allegations highlighted 'the need for comprehensive accountability and justice for victims and their families'. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: 'We are fully committed to supporting the independent inquiry relating to Afghanistan as its work continues. 'It is not appropriate for the MOD to comment on allegations which may be within the scope of the Statutory Inquiry, or to speculate on outcomes. 'Anyone can provide evidence to the inquiry, no matter where in the world they are. If any potential evidence is – or has been – uncovered by BBC Panorama, we would urge them to get in touch with the inquiry team and the police.' Panorama - Special Forces: I Saw War Crimes is on BBC iPlayer now and airs on BBC One at 8pm Monday 12 May
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Tidewater Mortgage Services Replaces Legacy POS with LiteSpeed from LenderLogix
- LiteSpeed optimizes digital application processes and enhances the borrower experience - BUFFALO, N.Y., April 15, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, today announced Tidewater Mortgage Services (Tidewater), a retail mortgage lending company, has replaced its legacy point-of-sale (POS) technology with LiteSpeed, thus expanding its partnership with the company. In addition to Fee Chaser™, Tidewater will now use LiteSpeed as the point-of-sale to automate mortgage processes and provide borrowers with a digital-first experience. 'We needed a POS platform that offered a more intuitive, borrower-friendly application process and greater automation than our previous platform,' said Tidewater VP of Project Management, Mike Martin. 'LiteSpeed delivers on those needs, allowing us to streamline workflows, reduce friction for borrowers and ultimately close loans more efficiently. Our experience with Fee Chaser had already demonstrated LenderLogix's reliability and efficiency, so expanding our partnership with LiteSpeed was the clear next step.' LiteSpeed is designed to simplify the lending process for both borrowers and lenders. With its AI-driven capabilities, the platform enables loan officers to provide personalized application links that generate customized document checklists, streamlining submissions. Borrowers benefit from a user-friendly interface for uploading files, which are automatically integrated into Encompass®, eliminating time-consuming manual handling. Fully customizable to match an institution's branding, LiteSpeed is mobile-friendly and adheres to rigorous security standards, including SOC 2 compliance. By automating repetitive tasks and reducing processing delays, the platform not only accelerates loan approvals but also delivers a smoother, more efficient experience for borrowers and lenders alike. 'LiteSpeed delivers a seamless mobile experience that provides a competitive advantage for lenders trying to get ahead in a market where consumers demand convenience,' said LenderLogix Co-Founder and CEO Patrick O'Brien. 'By supporting and enhancing early customer engagement, we're empowering our customers to deliver exceptional borrower experiences at a cost-efficient price.' Visit to request a demo. About LenderLogix LenderLogix leverages the four decades of firsthand mortgage origination and real estate experience of its executive team to design customized software to meet the needs of today's mortgage lenders. The company's suite of products addresses the speed at which today's real estate market moves by delivering technology solutions that create agile and informed borrowers, build strong referral partners and ultimately save lenders time and money. For more information, visit NEWS SOURCE: LenderLogix ### MEDIA ONLY CONTACT: (not for publication online or in print) Lindsey Neal Depth for LenderLogix (404) 549-9282 [email protected] ### Keywords: Mortgage, LenderLogix, mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, BUFFALO, N.Y. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (LenderLogix) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P125506 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
