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Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze flips No. 1 recruit in the state of Alabama from Ohio State days before Iron Bowl | Sporting NewsChess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved
Replica enables Fortune 100 financial, business and healthcare institutions and Federal agencies such as the US Army and Defense Innovation Unit to securely engage in high risk cyber activities without compromising productivity. FALLS CHURCH, Va. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Grey Market Labs (dba Replica Cyber ), a pioneering leader in cybersecurity solutions, proudly announces it has secured $8M in Series A funding led by Capri Ventures, with participation from Blu Ventures and AFG to accelerate adoption of its groundbreaking platform - Replica. This strategic investment will enable the company to advance its mission of delivering Secure Environments-as-a-Service, bringing unparalleled privacy and security in an increasingly vulnerable digital landscape. With this round, Andy Brown , CEO of SandHill East , former CTO of UBS, and current board member of ZScaler and PureStorage, will be joining the Board of Directors as will Dennis Shaya , Partner at Capri Ventures. In addition, Don Duet , Former Head of Technology at Goldman Sachs, and Tim Estes , founder of Angel Kids AI and former CEO at Digital Reasoning, will be joining the advisory board, complementing an already strong team including: Christopher Caine (CEO – Mercator XXI), Gary Cubbage (fmr. EVP – Booz Allen Hamilton ), Nick Donofrio (fmr. EVP Innovation – IBM), Todd Helfrich (VP Federal – Censys). The Replica platform offers Secure Environments-as-a-Service, revolutionizing how organizations protect and enable high risk activities. This includes targeting Russian misinformation campaigns in Ukraine , safe testing of new tech with proprietary data, disrupting financial scams and fraud aimed at seniors, and identifying and mitigating insider threats within organizations, among other scenarios. By integrating patented technology, intelligence tradecraft, and Zero Trust architecture, Replica quickly creates realistic IT environments that encompass hardware, operating systems, applications, networks, and data layers. This innovative solution not only protects user and organizational privacy but also delivers the data, tools and workflows needed for users to be productive in their most sensitive work. Kristopher Schroeder , CEO of Grey Market Labs, emphasized the significance of this funding round: "Replica is the culmination of over 20 years of experience in embedded tradecraft, intelligence operations, and cutting edge software. Our engineering team, with extensive backgrounds in offensive and defensive cyber warfare, has developed a product that is comprehensive with the protection and efficiency needed for today's enterprises and their users." Schroeder goes on to say, "This funding will allow Grey Marketing Labs to accelerate our vision to deliver even more impactful solutions for our customers." Capri Ventures, the lead investor in this funding round, expressed their excitement about partnering with Replica. "We are thrilled to support Grey Market Labs in their mission to redefine cybersecurity with the Replica platform," said Dennis Shaya , Partner with Capri Ventures. "Their innovative approach and deep expertise position them as a frontrunner in the industry, especially financial services, and we believe this partnership will drive significant advancements in digital privacy and security." Available as both a SaaS product and a hosted service, Replica enables secure work even in a global ecosystem, while reducing burden on the IT organization. The platform's flexible architecture supports rapid deployments (noted as some of the fastest in Financial Services), continuous updates, and seamless integration with existing enterprise services, including single-sign-on, proxies, and data governance. Additionally, Replica offers rich audit and reporting functionalities to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and provide the critical observability needed for leadership. Replica has solved critical problems for major Banks, Health Systems, Global Consulting, and Governments with use cases like: Protected Research (deep/dark web, social, automated collects, OSINT), Isolating Acquired (M&A) tech and activities, Advanced Sandboxing for Malware/ Unknown Files , Complex Training Environments, Enabling Fraud /Cyber Investigations, Secure DevOps with Data Controls, Intellectual Property Sharing and Protection, and more. With this new round of funding, Replica is poised to expand its value to customers, enhance its offerings, and further solidify its position as a leader redefining how to protect and enable high-risk activities. For more information about Replica, please visit ReplicaCyber.com . About Grey Market Labs Founded as Grey Market Labs® (dba Replica Cyber ), a Certified B-Corp with the mission to protect life online. Our work protecting the United States from foreign intelligence evolved to the creation of ReplicaTM, the world's first Secure Environments-as-a-Service platform. This patented SaaS platform simplifies creation of comprehensive hybrid-computing systems, delivering privacy and security while giving control to business users and reducing the burden on IT by 99.73%. We have solved critical problems for major Banks, Health Systems, Global Consulting, and Governments with use cases like: Protected Research (deep/dark web, social, automated collects, OSINT), Isolating Acquired (M&A) tech and activities, Advanced Sandboxing for Malware/ Unknown Files , Complex Training Environments, Enabling Fraud /Cyber Investigations, Secure DevOps with Data Controls, and more. For anyone that has tried to build complex, secure systems and platforms - Replica replaces this expensive work with the automation of secure environments. About Capri Ventures Capri Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm focused on Enterprise Technology. The team is composed of former software executives and leaders from Fortune 500 enterprises, bringing significant resources early in a company's lifecycle to help drive commercialization and market adoption. About AFG Partners AFG Partners < https://www.afgvc.com/ > is an Asian-based VC fund investing in B2B fintech and enabling tech startups addressing the critical needs of financial institutions and corporates globally, particularly in Asia . A core part of the strategy is to invest and help companies in Europe and the US who are interested in expanding across Asia via our network of LPs and ecosystem partners. Previous investments of the principals include N26, Unit, Blockdaemon, Airbnb, Transferwise, Gocardless and Wefox amongst others. About Blu Ventures Blu Ventures, a venture capital firmed based in Washington, DC , provides strategic funding and expert guidance in Seed to Series A companies in cybersecurity, healthtech, and B2B software startups. Blu leverages the deep domain expertise of its partners—all former operators with extensive industry experience—to empower visionary entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.bluventureinvestors.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grey-market-labs-announces-8m-series-a-funding-led-by-capri-ventures-to-accelerate-growth-of-its-replica-platform---first-of-its-kind-secure-environment-as-a-service-302313584.html SOURCE Grey Market LabsPhoto: Josh Dawson Findlay's Vacuum and Sewing held its last day of operation on Saturday, Dec. 28. While it's the end of an era for Findlay's Vacuum and Sewing on the North Shore, the location won't be vacant for long as Lee's Music is primed to take over the building by next spring. Findlay 's storefront has been at its location at 249 Tranquille Road since 1983. Owner and operator Patti Montpetit said she has worked at the store since 2002, bought the business in 2004 and has run it with her family since. It's last day of operation was Saturday, Dec. 28. “I’m ready for retirement, I have two wonderful grandchildren and I want to move back to the Island. I miss the ocean,” said Montpetit. “The community is impacted every time a family business closes down, of course it does. But unfortunately, we have to live our lives too.” With Findlay’s vacating the location, a deal was struck with Lee’s Music, which will be moving in some time next year. Bitter sweet Montpetit said The Sewing Machine Doctors will be taking over the business’ sewing machine repair contracts and Hi-Tech Vacuums will be doing vacuum repairs “We wanted to make sure we didn’t leave everybody in the lurch, we are the last sewing machine sales people here,” Montpetit said. While the business had searched for a new owner, Montpetit said no buyer could be found. She said she's always had to compete with online shopping. “It’s a sign of change, and change happens and we have to allow that in life. It’s sad when you’re not shopping local, you notice Amazon prices are starting to rise because there’s no competition,” she said. “Nowadays I almost feel obsolete.” Montpetit said since the store announced it was closing she has heard from hundreds in the community wishing her the best. “The North Shore is amazing, the storefront’s been here forever, it seems like, and our community has always supported us,” she said. “I’m going out on a happy note, because I know that my clients appreciated this, and a sad note, because we're leaving them.” New home for Lee’s Music Mike Miltimore of Lee’s Music and Riversong Guitar says he has been consolidate his operations at his location at 13th Avenue and Battle Street, selling off the former Riversong Guitar location on Lorne Street two years ago. As part of a post-pandemic expansion , Riversong Guitar has found a new guitar factory in Sicamous in a former houseboat manufacturing facility. Miltimore said he sold his Battle Street location three years ago, making way for a five-storey condominium complex, and Lee’s Music will have to make the move to the North Shore by April 1, 2025 when his lease is up. “When you’re in a place for 22 years, things like your office get pretty stagnant and sometimes you need those changes just to go through and clean and reorganize and have a refresh," Miltimore said. “We are excited to go into the North Shore, which we believe has had a lot of investment and it's becoming the arts and culture centre of Kamloops." He said music lessons, the retail music store and some guitar manufacturing will be moved to the new North Shore location. With the new digs also comes new possibilities. “Maybe we have an outdoor stage in the parking lot on the side, because we’re right on Tranquille,” he said. “We got all sorts of ideas like that, running around and working with the NSBIA [North Shore Business Improvement Association].” Founded in 1974, the announcement of the move coincides with the 50th anniversary of Lee's Music. Another family business While she plans on possibly doing some travelling and design work in retirement, Montpetit said she was happy that Lee’s Music will be taking over her location. “It's nice to know that another family business is moving into my old family building,” she said. With Miltimore required to be out of his Battle Street location by the beginning of April, he said he’ll be clearing out some of his stock. “We have an absolute ton of gear that we don’t want to move,” he said. “If anybody is looking for a musical instrument or has a need for something kind of old, we’ve got 50 years of stock that we’re willing to make some deals on.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”
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Why Scottish salmon’s rebrand may end up harming the integrity of a top export and hurting producersIndianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen seemed to sense the question might arise after his club was eliminated from playoff consideration Sunday with a ghastly 45-33 loss to the host New York Giants in East Rutheford, N.J. The Giants were 2-13 and had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games entering the contest and their season-high point total Sunday more than tripled their season average of 14.3 points per game. It was the type of bad loss that leads to head coaches being asked about their job security. "I control what I can control," Steichen said of the employment situation. The Colts (7-9) were outplayed all contest by the team that entered the day with the worst record in the NFL -- and with their playoff hopes on the line. Last season, Steichen's first as Indianapolis coach, the Colts also fell short, losing to the Houston Texans in the final week of the season to miss the playoffs. "It was as disappointing as it gets," Steichen said of the setback against the Giants. "As the leader of a football team, shoot, I always say I've got to be better, we've all got to be better. That's a group effort, everyone's got to chip in and do their part, so stuff like that doesn't happen." Giants quarterback Drew Lock passed for 309 yards and tied his career high of four touchdowns while also running for a score. Meanwhile, the Colts also went with a reserve quarterback in veteran Joe Flacco and he turned the ball over three times on two interceptions and a fumble. He also passed for 330 yards. Flacco started because rookie Anthony Richardson couldn't play due to back and foot injuries. Indianapolis completes the season next weekend at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. "I know it's a tough situation, obviously, when you're out of the playoff hunt, but again, I told (the team) we've got to be professional about it," Steichen said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to show up and do our job still with one week left." The Colts last made the playoffs in the 2020 season. Their last playoff win was two seasons earlier. --Field Level MediaThe decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Mr Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. The move, announced in court papers, marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021. In court papers, prosecutors said the Justice Department’s position “is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Mr Smith’s team emphasised that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Mr Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Mr Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Mr Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and has vowed to fire Mr Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. However, it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Mr Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Mr Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief in October laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden.Romania braces for parliamentary vote after far right's poll upset
It's been a magical run for both Moreau Catholic and Lindsay. Both have had some grueling down years since their previous championship campaigns, and both will hold their heads high when this season is over. But only one can win a California state high school football championship on Friday. Lindsay (10-5) blew out Mira Monte 28-0 for a Central Section Division 6 championship two weeks ago before outdueling Chatsworth 35-20 for a regional title. The Cardinals feature 2,000-yard rusher and senior RB Jose Cortes, and have attempted 464 runs this season to 27 passes. However, the few times they do pass, they're effective, with a 127.9 passer rating on the year. Moreau Catholic (10-4), on the other hand, gets well over half its production with the pass. QB Jeremiah Charles has completed 150 of 231 passes (64.9%) for 2,761 yards and 30 touchdowns to three picks for a lofty 140.2 passer rating. He has a top-notch deep threat in Jalen Arnold (64 catches for 1,493 yards and 19 TDs), and speedy RB Jayden Bryant has been very effective in small doses. Junior DB Seth Evans has been a playmaker with 122 tackles (seven for loss), two interceptions, and a whopping six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Arnold doubles as a standout DB with four interceptions, and DB Jameson Ransburg has four picks as well – but the Mariners' ability to stop the run, not pass, will be tested on Friday. Here’s everything you need to know about live streaming Lindsay vs. Moreau Catholic. How to watch Lindsay vs. Moreau Catholic football Live Stream: Watch on the NFHS Network Lindsay vs. Moreau Catholic will air live on the NFHS Network. You can subscribe to NFHS Network on a monthly basis or an annual subscription. Lindsay vs. Moreau Catholic start time Date: Friday, Dec. 13 Time: 4:00 p.m. PT The opening kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. The game will be played at Fullerton UHSD Stadium.A couple of Eastern Conference rivals both coming off a loss meet up on Monday, Dec. 2 when the Miami Heat visit the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston and FanDuel Sports Network Sun . Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using FuboTV and DirecTV Stream, which both offer a free trial or with SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available . The Celtics are 16-4 and coming into this matchup after losing in Cleveland on Sunday to the Cavaliers, 115-111. This game is also the second of a back-to-back for the Heat, who were in Toronto on Sunday, where the Raptors defeated them 119-116. That loss dropped Miami to 9-9 and 5-5 away from home. Who: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics When: Monday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. EST Where: TD Garden in Boston Stream: FuboTV (free trial) ; Sling ; DirecTV Stream (free trial) Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide , where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts. More College Football What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME . From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial, and $30 off the first month for new costumers. What is DirecTV Stream? DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX , Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz. What is SlingTV? SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation. RELATED CONTENT: Dialing long distance: Harden joins Curry as the only NBA players to reach 3,000 3-pointers By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden has joined Golden State’s Stephen Curry as the only NBA players to reach 3,000 career 3-pointers. Harden hit the milestone in the first half of the Los Angeles Clippers' 126-122 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. He hit three 3s in the first half and three more in the second half while leading the Clippers with 39 points. “Another one of those accomplishments that you never take for granted,” Harden said. “The amount of work that I’ve put in — countless days and nights where I put the work in — a lot of people don’t see it but the results happen, so I’m just thankful.” Harden just missed a triple-double, with nine rebounds and 11 assists. The achievement finished off a standout week for the 35-year-old guard. Harden scored 43 points — his most as a Clipper — in a road win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, his 100th career game of 40 or more. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as the only players to do so. “He had that first quarter against Washington where he reminded people, ‘Hey, I can still go out here and drop 40 on you real quick,’” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. The Clippers are 13-9 without superstar Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to play this season while managing ongoing inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Harden has been tasked with carrying a greater offensive load in Leonard’s absence as well as Paul George leaving as a free agent in the offseason. He has responded and at times, like against the Wizards, his efforts have recalled his prolific scoring years with the Houston Rockets. Malone noted that Harden has matured and responded to what’s been asked of him as a point guard. “He makes almost every key decision for their offense,” the coach said. “He can beat you with his playmaking as well, and that shows you the talent, that shows you the quality of his game, where he’s not solely the scorer.” Harden is also mentoring the team’s younger players, a role he describes as “very, very comfortable” for him. “It’s easy for me just because I’ve been in this situation for a lot of my NBA career. Just helping guys as much as I can to where it makes the game a lot easier for them,” he said. “It’s really fun.” Norman Powell said he and the other Clippers love to play with Harden because they know he’ll get them the ball. “It’s difficult to see from afar,” Powell said, “but on the floor knowing when to attack, knowing when to get his shot off, when to get the guys open, the pass that he makes. He knows how to get guys open and to get the most out of the team.” The Associated Press contributed to this article
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NBC News buried an astonishing detail in their report on President Joe Biden’s sweeping and unprecedented pardon of his felon son, Hunter, on Sunday. Announcing the pardon, Biden claimed he spent his “entire career” following a “simple principle:” always telling American citizens the truth. However, a critical detail from NBC’s report on the pardon completely undercuts his message and suggests that he’s been anything but dishonest with the American people. (RELATED: Here Are Times Biden, KJP Promised President Wouldn’t Pardon Hunter Before Breaking His Word) “For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” the president said. Biden Breaks One Last Promise, Pardons Felon Son https://t.co/sFjzYbeBVb — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 2, 2024 But since Hunter’s conviction in June, Biden has publicly stated he would not pardon his son, all the while discussing the option in private, according to NBC News. Here’s the key line from the NBC story, buried 14 paragraphs deep: “They said it was decided at the time that he would publicly say he would not pardon his son even though doing so remained on the table.” So, for Biden and his inner circle, lying was a part of the plan all along? Biden didn’t just change his mind in the last few days? Not according to the chief White House propagandist, Karine Jean-Pierre. Jean-Pierre logged on to X later Monday afternoon to address the NBC News story, reassuring everyone that despite her nonstop gaslighting on a variety of issues for years, she is still credible enough to set the record straight. “That is false. As the President said last night, he made the decision this weekend,” she wrote. Sure, sure. Biden totally never considered pardoning his son at all while telling Americans the opposite. It was never on the table. Until Thanksgiving weekend, that is, when it magically appeared next to the turkey. At this late in the game, after so many falsehoods and deceptions, I doubt anything that comes out of KJP’s mouth or the president’s is remotely close to the truth. Did you enjoy this post? Consider checking out John’s full weekly newsletter, Mr. Right, available here: MrRight.DailyCaller.comThe future of Lego Fortnite: "I hope it will never be done"Ayra Wang BioLogiQ, a technological company, has developed a method to convert potato starch into a plant-based material. This innovative material can be manufactured into reusable cups and cutlery, significantly contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in urban areas. The company's breakthrough technology was recognized with a gold award at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on December 5 and 6. Ken Kramer, BioLogiQ's president and chief technology officer, called the award an affirmation of the hard work by the company's research and development team. He expressed hope that their invention would help mitigate human-caused pollution and promote sustainable development for future generations. "I've been involved in the plastic manufacturing industry for over 30 years, and I understand the environmental harm caused by fossil fuels and plastics," Kramer said in an exclusive interview with Sing Tao Daily, a sister publication to The Standard. Founded in 2011, the US-based company expanded into Asia in 2019, establishing its regional office in Hong Kong and a factory across the border in Shaoguan. Kramer said that the plant-based material is derived from crops such as potatoes and corn and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 46 percent compared to conventional plastics. "Fossil fuels are not renewable and contribute to pollution, whereas plants can be regrown and absorb carbon dioxide during their growth," he said. Plant-based materials, he added, are often stronger than those made from fossil fuels. Kramer highlighted the fact that plant-based materials are more cost-effective than wood, bamboo and paper, especially now that the SAR government is promoting a citywide plastic-free lifestyle. "Cutting down trees or bamboo is detrimental to the environment, as it takes years for trees to grow back," he said. "In contrast, crops like potatoes and corn can be harvested two to three times a year, allowing factories to utilize existing machinery for plant-based material production," he said. While the company's products can contain up to 50 percent plant-based materials, they typically mix in 10 to 25 percent traditional plastics to keep costs manageable for consumers. Kramer's aim is for some products to achieve 100 percent plant-based content for agricultural use next year, with plans to develop entirely plant-based products within five years. Linda Lee Wai-ling, the company's managing director, said the plant-based material is converted from the starch of potatoes or corn. BioLogiQ also plans to recycle wastewater containing starch from fry production facilities as a raw material. Lee reassured people that using crops for plastic does not impact the food supply, as the plant-based materials industry currently uses only 0.02 percent of agricultural land, and that is projected to rise to just 0.073 percent by 2028. "It's not a waste of food; starch is already used in paper production, though many people may not realize it," Lee said. The company aims to integrate environmental protection into everyday life by producing household items like reusable tableware, cups and food bags made from plant-based materials. "We want consumers to engage in environmental protection easily and affordably," Lee said. Plant-based materials, she added, can help reduce microplastic contamination in the food chain, protecting human health. "Currently, over 90 percent of plastic waste ends up in landfills or nature, breaking down into microplastics that pollute oceans and soil. These microplastics can eventually enter the food chain," she said. The company is in discussions with local juice producer Bless to create containers, packages and plastic bags made from plant-based materials, with anticipated discounts for consumers next year. Lee said plant-based materials are 100 percent compostable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, making them ideal for non-reusable items aimed at reducing pollution. BioLogiQ plans to expand the use of plant-based non-woven materials into various applications, including disposable masks, hospital protective clothing and diapers, which cannot be reused due to hygiene concerns.