Latest news with #WMA
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Dragons' Den winner used Covid loans to buy £1.3m mansion in star-studded village
Dragons Den winner, Rick Beardsell, has been sentenced after being found guilty of using Covid loans to help buy a £1.3 million home in a sought-after village in Cheshire A Dragons' Den winner has been sentenced after pocketing Covid loans to buy a £1.3 million mansion. Rick Beardsell, who had previously received a £75,000 investment from TV Dragons Tej Lalvani and Deborah Meaden in 2015 for his successful protein shake bottle business, ShakeSphere, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, after prosecutors told a judge he had since paid all the money back. Under the Government's application rules, the 46-year-old father of two was only entitled to one Bounce Back loan of a maximum £50,000, but he fraudulently applied for two - then exaggerated his annual turnover by up to 23 times. Beardsell, who has also won a total of seven gold medals for GB in World Masters Athletics Championships, illegally used two Covid business loans worth £100,000 to help finance the purchase of a five-bed property in the sought-after village of Prestbury, Cheshire, which is home to a number of celebrities. The dad-of-two was supposed to use the taxpayer's cash to help his other firm, which sells sportswear, but none of the money he was given went to the company, reports the Mirror's sister title, the Manchester Evening News. Instead, he spent the Covid loan funds to help buy a £1.3 million house in Prestbury while also transferring cash to family members and making mortgage payments. At Chester Crown Court, Beardsell, who won two World Records for sprinting, holding the fastest record for a 400-metre sprint for a 36-year-old at the 2015 WMA, faced three years jail under sentencing guidelines after he admitted two charges of fraud. However, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison - suspended for two years. Beardsell had previously received a healthy investment from TV Dragons Tej Lalvani and Deborah Meaden for his protein shake bottle business, which subsequently helped him get sales of more than a million shakers worldwide across the following two years. Geoff Whealan, prosecuting for the Insolvency Service, said Beardsell made fraudulent applications for Bounce Back Loans to HSBC in December 2020 and then to NatWest in January 2021 in respect of his other firm, Sports Creative Ltd. ''The defendant stated on the HSBC form that the turnover of Sports Creative was £485,000 and on the NatWest form said it was £320,000 - but unaudited financial statements showed turnover for the year end February 2020 was £20,622.'' he said. ''The turnover was clearly exaggerated to secure the maximum bounce back loan, and subsequent transactions showed the bounce back loan funds were not being used for the economic benefit or business purposes of Sports Creative at this time.'' Mr Whelan added: ''In effect, the bounce back loan funds had been used for this purchase, and it can be inferred from the defendant's conduct that it was his intention to use the bounce back loans for this purpose at the time he made the application for it. But in relation to repayment, the defendant has repaid the bounce back loans to each bank." Beardsell's counsel Nichola Cafferkey said in mitigation: ''The loss of his good character is of some significance in respect of a man who has dedicated his life to his family, his professional entities and also his sporting endeavours."
Japan Today
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Unplug and rewind with Thanko Skeleton Portable CD Player
Heading outdoors for a hike or reading a book at a cafe are small ways to relax without relying on a screen for entertainment. Recently, we've seen a return to old-school technology like clunky digital cameras, wired headphones and even CD players. Listening to music on CDs demands more intention. You have to choose the album, buy it and insert it into the player without the temptation of scrolling through an endless digital library. The Thanko Skeleton Portable CD Player SK-25 is a great way to disconnect while enjoying your favorite artist. With its see-through body inspired by 1990s design, it's both nostalgic and fresh. Weighing just 250 grams and powered by a rechargeable battery, it's easy to carry and lasts up to five hours on a charge. It plays standard CDs as well as CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and supports MP3 and WMA formats. You can also load music onto a microSD card (up to 128GB) for even more flexibility. Useful features like A-B repeat, adjustable playback speed, and a 5-level equalizer make it great for language study or exam prep. It includes two headphone jacks so you can listen with a friend, and has anti-skip protection and auto power-off to save battery. Get yours today for ¥5,680 at the website. Source: Thanko © Japan Today
See - Sada Elbalad
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Nancy Ajram to Perform Live in Lebanon on July 31
Yara Sameh Lebanese recording artist Nancy Ajram at the Casino du Liban, in Jounieh, Lebanon, on Thursday, July 31. She is set to present several of her popular and latest songs. The evening will also feature a performance by musician and composer Guy Manoukian. The acclaimed singer took to Instagram to promote the concert, saying: " A night of music, light, and everything in between…🎶 July 31 – Casino du Liban 🎶 With the incredible @guymanoukian 🎹" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nancy Ajram (@nancyajram) Born on May 16, 1983, the acclaimed singer is considered one of the best female singers in Lebanon and the Arab world. Ajram began performing as a child and participated in several television shows. Ajra released her debut studio album 'Mihtagalak' in 1998. She rose to fame after the release of the controversial smash hit single 'Akhasmak Ah' and the debut of her third studio album 'Ya Salam' in 2003. Ajram is considered by many an Arabic music icon of the decade. She was described on Oprah Winfrey's show as one of the most influential personalities in the Middle East. She participated in the most significant Arabic festivals and won multiple awards, most importantly the 2008 World Music Award for best-selling Middle Eastern artist, the youngest Arab WMA winner to date, the 2012 WMA for the second time, and the 2014 WMA for the third time. The acclaimed singer is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
Business Standard
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
White Matter Advisory India P Limited (Xchange.pe) Completes STPIs' FinBlue Incubation Program, Sets Sights on Growing Its Cross Border Payments Business
NewsVoir Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 11: White Matter Advisory India Pvt. Ltd (WMA), a niche Fintech player in the cross border payment space via its product has successfully incubated from the prestigious FinBlue program--an initiative by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the company's journey, further strengthening its position in India's dynamic and rapidly growing FinTech ecosystem. FinBlue, headquartered in Chennai, is a Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE) launched by STPI to support early-stage FinTech startups. The program provides a comprehensive incubation platform, offering access to funding, mentorship from domain experts, market connections, and a regulatory sandbox in collaboration with key financial institutions and regulators. Since its launch, FinBlue has supported over 60 startups, driving innovation across digital payments, wealth tech, lending, RegTech, and other emerging financial technologies. was selected to be part of FinBlue cohort with the of bridging the gap between traditional banking and technology-driven insights on cross border payments. Throughout the incubation, the company benefited from FinBlue's technical mentorship, sandbox access, real-time industry feedback, and investor connects, which played a vital role in refining its solutions and enhancing its market readiness. "FinBlue gave us an ecosystem where we could test, learn, and grow. The exposure to real-world financial institutions and regulatory frameworks helped us fine-tune our product and approach. The support from STPI and FinBlue mentors was invaluable in sharpening our value proposition," added Mr. Kranthi Reddy, Cofounder. With a successful incubation from the FinBlue program, WMA via its offering is now charting its next phase of growth. The company aims to expand its reach across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India, deepen collaborations with Service and Goods Exporters, STPI registered units, Freelancers, CA, CS, Law Firms and other consulting firms. As part of its future roadmap, the firm is also working on integrating AI and data analytics capabilities into its offerings, and plans to launch a SaaS-based model to deliver scalable, real-time advisory solutions to enterprise clients. With a sharpened product suite, proven validation, and strategic focus, is poised to become a key enabler in India's digital financial transformation. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is a premier government organization under MeitY, championing India's IT and startup ecosystem. Through 24+ domain-specific Centres of Entrepreneurship, including FinBlue, STPI continues to foster innovation in emerging technologies, aligned with national priorities like Digital India, Startup India, and Viksit Bharat 2047. FinBlue incubation program is an initiative by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), is a Fintech Centre of Enterpreneurship (CoE) launched by STPI to support early-stage FinTech startups.
Fashion Value Chain
11-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
White Matter Advisory India P Limited (Xchange.pe) Completes STPIs' FinBlue Incubation Program, Sets Sights on Growing Its Cross Border Payments Business
White Matter Advisory India Pvt. Ltd (WMA), a niche Fintech player in the cross border payment space via its product has successfully incubated from the prestigious FinBlue program-an initiative by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the company's journey, further strengthening its position in India's dynamic and rapidly growing FinTech ecosystem. From left to right: Piuesh Daga, COO, White Matter Advisory; Kranthi Reddy, CCO, White Matter Advisory; Bhaskar Saravana, CEO, White Matter Advisory; Saurabh Jain, CBO, White Matter Advisory FinBlue, headquartered in Chennai, is a Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE) launched by STPI to support early-stage FinTech startups. The program provides a comprehensive incubation platform, offering access to funding, mentorship from domain experts, market connections, and a regulatory sandbox in collaboration with key financial institutions and regulators. Since its launch, FinBlue has supported over 60 startups, driving innovation across digital payments, wealth tech, lending, RegTech, and other emerging financial technologies. was selected to be part of FinBlue cohort with the of bridging the gap between traditional banking and technology-driven insights on cross border payments. Throughout the incubation, the company benefited from FinBlue's technical mentorship, sandbox access, real-time industry feedback, and investor connects, which played a vital role in refining its solutions and enhancing its market readiness. 'FinBlue gave us an ecosystem where we could test, learn, and grow. The exposure to real-world financial institutions and regulatory frameworks helped us fine-tune our product and support from STPI and FinBlue mentors was invaluable in sharpening our value proposition,' added Mr. Kranthi Reddy, Cofounder. With a successful incubation from the FinBlue program, WMA via its offering is now charting its next phase of growth. The company aims to expand its reach across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India, deepen collaborations with Service and Goods Exporters, STPI registered units, Freelancers, CA, CS, Law Firms and other consulting firms. As part of its future roadmap, the firm is also working on integrating AI and data analytics capabilities into its offerings, and plans to launch a SaaS-based model to deliver scalable, real-time advisory solutions to enterprise clients. With a sharpened product suite, proven validation, and strategic focus, is poised to become a key enabler in Indias digital financial transformation. About STPI Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is a premier government organization under MeitY, championing India's IT and startup ecosystem. Through 24+ domain-specific Centres of Entrepreneurship, including FinBlue, STPI continues to foster innovation in emerging technologies, aligned with national priorities like Digital India, Startup India, and Viksit Bharat 2047. About FinBlue FinBlue incubation program is an initiative by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), is a Fintech Centre of Enterpreneurship (CoE) launched by STPI to support early-stage FinTech startups.
