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The stat that women receive less than 2% of VC funding is often citedbut that figure tells only part of the story. Angel investors, non-dilutive grants, and other funding methods are shifting the landscape for women and other underrepresented foundersespecially at a time when DEI initiatives are in peril. This panel explores how investors are closing the funding gap and what you should know to get the capital you need.
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E-Commerce
Matcha drinks continue to challenge coffees dominance as the caffeinated beverage of choice. In the U.S., retail sales of matcha are up 86% from three years ago, according to market research firm NIQ. The drinks increasing popularity, particularly among Gen Z consumers, has resulted in shortages and supply-chain issues. But when a recent Instagram reel that went viral suggested consuming Matcha might be contributing to hair loss, panic ensued. Can I unsee this post? one wrote. WHY DOES THE INTERNET HAVE TO RUIN EVERYTHING, another protested. Soon, others were sharing similar alleged experiences. When you realise that the matcha youve been drinking every morning is the reason your hair is falling out, one woman on TikTok wrote. Can it be true? Has the bright green beverage weve been told helps alleviate stress, enhances our immune systems, and supports our health, been a secret saboteur all along? Like most health-related posts online, the truth is more complicated than a viral TikTok would have you believe, and comes with a whole host of caveats. The good news: No, your daily matcha habit is not going to directly cause hair loss. The viral claims aren’t backed by any clinical research, Dr. Divpreet Sacha at Her Holistic Health told Fast Company. In fact, studies show the oppositegreen tea and matcha may actually help with hair growth because of their antioxidants. Matcha might, however, affect iron levels, which may contribute to extra shedding. The confusion probably comes from the fact that green tea can reduce iron absorption if you drink it with meals, Dr. Sacha continued. But there’s no evidence this leads to hair loss. You’d need a serious, long-term iron deficiency for that to happen, which isn’t caused by normal matcha drinking. Matcha contains tannins and other polyphenols, which can bind to iron in the digestive tract and reduce its absorption by the body. One woman even claimed her iron levels got so low from drinking matcha she ended up in hospital. RIP to my matcha obsession era, she wrote. Sacha added, People drinking 1-2 cups of matcha a day have nothing to worry about. If someone already has low iron, they should just avoid drinking it right before or after iron-rich meals, basic nutrition advice, not a hair loss warning. Matcha isnt the only popular drink with tannins. Theyre present in many common drinks, including red wine, coffee, and other types of tea. Hair loss also can be caused by a number of other culprits, including insufficient protein intake and other deficiencies. Fear not, for those with a balanced diet and healthy iron levels: Your morning matcha is back on the menu.
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E-Commerce
A federal judge agreed Monday to temporarily suspend the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate hundreds of jobs at the agency that oversees Voice of America (VOA), the government-funded broadcaster founded to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington, D.C., ruled that the U.S. Agency for Global Media cannot implement a reduction in force eliminating 532 jobs for full-time government employees on Tuesday. Those employees represent the vast majority of its remaining staff. Kari Lake, the agencys acting CEO, announced in late August that the job cuts would take effect Tuesday. But the judge’s ruling preserves the status quo at the agency until he rules on a plaintiffs’ underlying motion to block the reduction in force. Lamberth previously ruled that President Donald Trumps Republican administration must restore VOA programming to levels commensurate with its statutory mandate to serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. He also blocked Lake from removing Michael Abramowitz as VOAs director. Judge cites concerning disrespect toward the court from the administration Lamberth accused the administration of showing concerning disrespect toward the court in response to his earlier orders to produce information about its plans for Voice of America. He noted that the agency initiated the job cuts only hours after a hearing last month in which government lawyers said a reduction in force, or RIF, was merely a possibility. The defendants obfuscation of this Courts request for information regarding whether their RIF plans comported with the preliminary injunction has wasted precious judicial time and resources and readily support contempt proceedings, Lamberth wrote. But he said he wouldnt initiate contempt proceedings on his own because the plaintiffs havent sought it yet. However, (the courts) deference to the plaintiffs with respect to further proceedings should not be mistaken for lenience toward the defendants egregious erstwhile conduct, he added. Employees who sued to block the dismantling of Voice of America claimed the planned cuts would hamper the judges ability to enforce the injunction he issued in April. This Court should therefore preserve the status quo while the parties litigate compliance, their attorneys wrote. Government lawyers accused the plaintiffs of impermissibly trying to micromanage the agencys operations. Enjoining the reductions in force would be a wholly overbroad and improper remedy, they wrote. Lamberth, a senior judge, was nominated to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Can the media agency continue to fulfill its statutory mission? The U.S. Agency for Global Media also houses Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and Radio Marti, which beams Spanish-language news into Cuba. The networks, which together reach an estimated 427 million people, date to the Cold War and are part of a network of government-funded organizations trying to extend U.S. influence and combat authoritarianism. Congress appropriated $875 million to the agency for fiscal year 2025 and required that $260 million of the funds must be spent by VOA. In March, Trump signed an executive order calling for the agency to reduce its statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law. A day later, VOA stopped broadcasting for the first time in 83 years. The agency placed almost all of its full-time employees on administrative leave. In announcing the job cuts on social media last month, Lake said the agency will continue to fulfill its statutory mission … and will likely improve its ability to function. I look forward to taking additional steps in the coming months to improve the functioning of a very broken agency and make sure Americas voice is heard abroad where it matters most, she wrote. Plaintiffs attorney Georgina Yeomans argued Monday that the cuts would cement the agencys programming at deficient levels that dont comply with the judges orders. Yeomans said its unclear who at the agency is making key decisions, such as which jobs to eliminate. We simply do not know, she said. Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
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