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Meet John Kwatakye-Atiko, Successful Entrepreneur & Music Executive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

Music executive and entrepreneur, John Kwatakye-Atiko (JKA), celebrates 20 years as a music executive this year. From interning at Def Jam at age 16 to running his own label and entertainment company, Popular Demand, this 36-year-old has a unique, impressive journey.This Far Rockaway native from Queens, New York, worked in the marketing department of the Mix-Show Radio Team under Shawn “Pecas” Costner at Island Def Jam. Some of the notable artists he promoted include but are not limited to LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Young Leek, Juelz Santana, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, JZ, Teairra Mari, Memphis Bleek, Ludacris and many others.“Some of my favorite projects with Island Def Jam were Mariah Carey’s album, The Emancipation of Mimi, Kanye West’s College Dropout, Ne-Yo’s In My Own Words, Ludacris’ Red Light District, and Lionel Richie’s Coming Home.”John credits his perseverance, passion, openness to learning, and the unwavering belief in the potential of raw talent for his accomplishments....

Fertility Is Powerful—And This Prenatal Brand Is Working to Underscore That

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

Supporting fertility and pregnancy care for the “modern couple” has been a long-time mission of Beli and its Founder & CEO, Joni Hanson Davis. As a fertility and prenatal supplement brand, Beli offers products formulated to support expecting parents, from preconception to postpartum.From the beginning, Beli has positioned itself as a source of “high-quality and science-backed” prenatal vitamins, earning the Clean Label Project Purity Award in the process. “We know that the science behind prenatal supplementation has not kept up with the times,” shares Davis, who notes that prenatal vitamins are not required to be proven safe and effective by the FDA before coming onto the market. “We’re here to clean up the supplement space and fill a clear gap in the industry in providing better and more modern nutritional support for both men and women.”Paving the wayAs of 2023, Beli celebrates five years in business, and four years since the launch of its Beli Vitality for Men. It’s one of th...

Viktoria Fox crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Viktoria Fox, a model and entrepreneur from California is the first biracial (Asian American) to be crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA 2023.Fox follows a legacy of other Miss Beverly Hills USA Hall of Famers who went onto prosperous careers post pageantry, such as: Olivia Jordan (Miss USA), Nadia Mejia (Miss California USA), Victoria Olona (Miss Nevada USA).When asked by The Beverly Hills Courier what she plans to do with her title,“I want to help young women (and men) thrive during this recession”.“I want them to take advantage of the opportunities out there before it’s too late”. “It is so important to be brutally honest, and not sugar coat things” Fox continued. “Some may be more fortunate than others, but we’re all human, born with similar potential, and we can use that power to live out our dreams”.USA Queens at the Global Beauty AwardsFox is now eligible to compete at Miss California USA this June in Orange County. The top state pageant is currently run b...

Multiple verified accounts on Twitter share fake Pentagon blast pic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

By Donie O’Sullivan and Jon Passantino | CNNA fake image purporting to show an explosion near the Pentagon was shared by multiple verified Twitter accounts on Monday, causing confusion and leading to a brief dip in the stock market. Local officials later confirmed no such incident had occurred.The image, which bears all the hallmarks of being generated by artificial intelligence, was shared by numerous verified accounts with blue check marks, including one that falsely claimed it was associated with Bloomberg News.“Large explosion near the Pentagon complex in Washington DC. – initial report,” the account posted, along with an image purporting to show black smoke rising near a large building.The account has since been suspended by Twitter. It was unclear who was behind the account or where the image originated.Under owner Elon Musk, Twitter has allowed anyone to obtain a verified account in exchange for a monthly payment. As a result, Twitter verification is no longer an indica...

Best Online Casinos Australia Travellers Can Join (2023): Top 10 Australian Casino Sites

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

Finding reputable online casinos that you can access from abroad isn’t easy, but we know how cool it is to play some classic pokes and Australian casino games remotely from your phone or laptop.We’ve updated our list of the best Australian online casino sites for players living abroad, which offer you the chance to play classic online pokies and table games alongside fellow Aussie players.All of the casinos on this list have been independently tested by our experts for the quality of their games and casino bonuses, and they’re all fully licensed.CasinoNic secured its place at the top of our list this time around – but read on for a full breakdown.Best Online Casinos AustraliaCasinoNic: Best overallJoe Fortune: Top pick for jackpotsBitStarz: Best Bitcoin casinoIgnition: Best for pokerRed Dog Casino: Best new online casino7Bit Casino: Best for online pokiesJust Casino: Best for live dealer gamesRicky Casino: Exciting casino tournamentsLucky Dreams: Best welcome bonus offer...

Oakland gets a sleek Italian coffee shop by local roasters Mr. Espresso

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

Fans of Italian coffee culture, rejoice: A new cafe in downtown Oakland aims to replicate the Continental coffee experience, with all its sleek design touches and steam-shooting gizmos. And it’s run by the Italian-descended family behind local roasters Mr. Espresso.The Caffè by Mr. Espresso, which opens today at 1120 Broadway, channels a product name no doubt familiar to many Bay Area caffeine junkies. Carlo Di Ruocco, who’s from Salerno, Italy, founded Mr. Espresso way back in the 1970s and made a name for himself roasting beans with oak wood and wholesaling them to local shops. After nearly five decades, this is the brand’s first attempt at running a regular coffee shop – and judging from early information, it looks pretty neat.“After 45 years of supplying coffee to some of the best cafes and restaurants in the Bay Area, we thought it was time to open our own brick-and-mortar,” Luigi Di Ruocco, co-owner of Mr. Espresso, announced in a press release. &...

Dominguez, UC Davis stabbing suspect, to get psychiatric exam

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

Associated PressWOODLAND — A judge on Monday ordered a psychiatric review of the former University of California, Davis student charged with two fatal stabbings and an attempted murder that shook the normally serene community outside Sacramento.An attorney for Carlos Dominguez said in Yolo County Superior Court that his client is not mentally competent to stand trial.Dominguez, 21, sat next to his court-appointed public defender and tried to speak several times during the short proceeding, The Sacramento Bee reported. Before he left, Dominguez said he did not want an attorney.Relatives of the second victim, Karim Abou Najm, a 20-year-old UC Davis student, attended the hearing, some wearing T-shirts with the young man’s image.Police have not disclosed a motive for the stabbings, which took place over a span of days and rattled the community. Students stayed at home or ventured out in pairs, and some businesses closed early.Dominguez had been a third-year student majoring in bio...

Single-family home in Los Gatos sells for $2 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

200 More Avenue – Google Street ViewThe property located in the 200 block of More Avenue in Los Gatos was sold on April 28, 2023 for $2,025,000, or $1,256 per square foot. The house, built in 1968, has an interior space of 1,612 square feet. The property features four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces. It sits on an 8,400-square-foot lot, which also has a pool.These nearby houses have also recently changed hands:In April 2023, a 1,840-square-foot home on Wedgewood Avenue in Los Gatos sold for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,359. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,692-square-foot home on the 200 block of More Avenue in Los Gatos sold in November 2022, for $2,305,000, a price per square foot of $1,362. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Hyde Drive, Los Gatos, in November 2022, a 1,854-square-foot home was sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $917. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

Redwood City: Teen injures himself in gunfire mishap downtown, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

REDWOOD CITY — A teen accidentally shot himself in the leg at a downtown parking garage Sunday night, and another teen was found stabbed nearby, police said.Officers were called around 8:10 p.m. to the garage at 750 Marshall St. and found a 15-year-old boy suffering from a leg wound. According to Redwood City police, they determined the injury was “caused by a self-inflicted, accidental discharge as a result of the juvenile having a firearm in his waistband.”The injured teen was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. Police said that they have not located the gun used — thought to be a 9mm firearm based on a bullet casing recovered from the scene — and believe that some “unidentified associates” of the boy made off with the weapon.During the same police response, officers reportedly found a 14-year-old boy suffering from a stab wound in his upper back. He too was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.Despite the proximity o...

Anti-Putin Russians claim ‘sabotage’ attack in Belgorod

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:48 GMT

By Victoria Butenko, Anna Chernova and Sam Kiley | CNNA group of anti-Putin Russian nationals – who are aligned with the Ukrainian army – has claimed responsibility for an attack in Russian’s southwestern region of Belgorod, as Moscow said it was fighting a group of saboteurs there.Shelling damaged an administrative building, several residential buildings, and a kindergarten in the area, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who said there were no fatalities.In a Telegram post, groups calling themselves the “Freedom of Russia Legion” and “Russian Volunteer Corps” said they had “liberated” a settlement in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.A Ukrainian official acknowledged that the units had carried out an operation in the area but insisted they were acting independently.“We can confirm that this operation was carried out by Russian citizens,” Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency, told CNN.He said the units were “part of defense...