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Some food trends put in deep roots, some are fleeting, some are outright silly and some are just plain fun. I am putting the “just plain fun” label on this one: pearl-shaped foods that pop in your mouth.Tiny sphere-shaped foods seem to be everywhere, entertaining mouths with their pop-ability and the sometimes unusual transformation of familiar foods.Call it part of a bubble moment: The bubble hem is hot in fashion, and decor is loving soft, round corners and playfulness. Here are some examples of pearl-shaped foods, old and new. Straight from natureSome pearl-shaped bubble foods have been with us for…

Prezent, a startup empowering customers to build slide decks using generative AI, has raised $20 million as it further develops and refines its AI models for different use cases and expands into new markets. AI has many different applications — one of which is generating decks for business presentations, as it turns out. Off-the-shelf models tend to be not very good at this because they don’t understand industry-specific language and jargon. That’s where Prezent’s technology comes in. Los Altos-based Prezent, which has a subsidiary in Bengaluru, was founded in 2021 by Rajat Mishra, who previously worked at companies including Cisco…

Yokahu, a leading innovator in parametric insurance, has introduced cat-risk.com, the first independent, many-to-many parametric exchange designed to revolutionise disaster risk finance within the London re/insurance market.The launch of cat-risk.com addresses inefficiencies in the existing parametric insurance market, where transactions are often slow and fragmented, according to InsurTech Insights.By introducing a digital-first approach, Yokahu aims to enhance accessibility, streamline operations, and improve disaster resilience through faster payouts.Yokahu specialises in parametric insurance solutions, focusing on improving disaster risk management through innovative technology. By leveraging real-time data and automated processes, the company enhances financial preparedness for extreme weather events and natural disasters.cat-risk.com…

Orion Security, an innovative cybersecurity company, has successfully completed a $6m Seed funding round.According to CTech, the investment was spearheaded by Pico Partners and FXP, with additional contributions from Underscore VC and notable cybersecurity experts, including founders of Perimeter 81 and the CISO of Elastic.Specializing in AI-driven data protection, Orion Security is at the forefront of addressing the escalating issue of data breaches, many of which are perpetrated by insiders. The rise of generative AI and cloud computing has intensified these security challenges, exemplified by incidents like the notable ChatGPT-related breach at Samsung and infiltration by North Korean state-backed hackers.Orion…

Peak3, a global InsurTech company specialising in cloud-based insurance solutions, has raised $35m in a Series A funding round to accelerate its expansion across the UK and European markets.The funding round, which will support Peak3’s ambitious growth plans, was backed by investors keen to drive digital transformation in the insurance sector.The company has already established its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with a focus on key markets including the UK, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), France, Spain, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia, and Turkey.Peak3 provides an API-driven, cloud-native Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, Graphene, designed to help insurers modernise their operations.The company’s technology enables insurance…

Google has completed the acquisition of Wiz, expanding its influence in the rapidly growing cloud computing and cybersecurity sectors. The transaction, valued at $32bn and subject to closing adjustments, will be conducted in an all-cash deal, with Wiz set to integrate into Google Cloud post-acquisition.This acquisition aims to bolster Google Cloud’s capabilities, particularly in addressing the critical needs for enhanced cloud security and supporting multicloud environments. The deal not only signifies a major investment in two rapidly evolving trends—improved cloud security and multicloud usage—but also highlights the increasing role of AI in shaping these sectors.Wiz specializes in providing a user-friendly security…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Confronted with huge cuts to its funding, Columbia University’s leaders face a grim decision: They can yield to the Trump administration’s demands over alleged antisemitism — ceding extraordinary control to the federal government — or they can fight back, potentially risking even more debilitating cuts in an escalating clash.However it responds, Columbia carries tremendous weight. It’s the first school to face such aggressive intervention from the Trump administration, but dozens of others have been put on notice they’re next if they defy the president’s orders on issues around antisemitism, diversity programs or transgender women in girl’s sports.“People…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest trend in treating hair loss may sound familiar — essentially, it’s a repurposed drug first popularized in the 1990s.Back then, TV viewers were inundated with ads for Rogaine, a sticky topical solution that could help treat thinning hair when applied to the scalp.Now dermatologists are increasingly prescribing the drug, known generically as minoxidil, in low-dose pills to help men and women maintain or regrow hair.The practice follows a handful of recent studies suggesting the ingredient works as well — and possibly better — when swallowed, rather than applied to hair follicles on the head. Telehealth…

Knocknoc, a Sydney-based cybersecurity software company, has successfully secured a seed funding round.The investment was led by US-based venture capital firm Decibel Partners, with additional support from CoAct and SomethingReal.The company announced a substantial seed investment, aimed at accelerating their market presence. This round saw participation from notable investors including Decibel Partners, CoAct, and SomethingReal, bolstering Knocknoc’s financial and strategic backing.Knocknoc specializes in orchestrating network infrastructure to mitigate risk exposure by integrating users’ network access with their Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication status. The firm’s innovative approach helps eliminate attack surfaces by enabling network connections on a just-in-time basis, thereby preventing…

Microsoft this week shared details on StilachiRAT, an evasive and persistent piece of malware that enables cybercriminals to steal sensitive data from compromised systems. The tech giant’s incident response team first spotted StilachiRAT (the name was given by Microsoft) in November 2024. While it currently does not appear to be widely distributed, the company wanted to warn users and organizations. Microsoft has yet to link StilachiRAT, which has been described as a remote access trojan (RAT), to any known threat group or a specific country. The company has not specified how the RAT is being distributed, but noted that such…