Just a week after HP downsized its security holdings, this morning Cisco announced it's acquiring cybersecurity startup Lancope for $452.5M. It's a big win for Lancope's investors: the company raised only $24.6M fromCanaan Partners, GMG Capital Partners and HIG Capital since it was launched back in 2000.
Speaking of big acquisitions, Andreessen Horowitz's Jamie McGurk, Stephen McDermid, Vishal Amin and Irvin Chan explain why Dell's agreement to acquire EMC (and with it, VMware) for $50B represents the future of many large public tech companies. Tech industry incumbents are stalling in revenue growth, investor interest, and strategic position, they say, and something has to give.
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A&E Unit Doubles In Size Amid Soaring Demand
UCH will spend millions on emergency care as it struggles to cope with a rise in elderly patients and those with minor injuries.
Soaring demand for emergency care has forced a hospital that was built just 10 years ago to double the size of its A&E.
The world-renowned University College Hospital in London opened in October 2005 with capacity to deal with 65,000 emergency patients a year.
But staff are now seeing more than 130,000 a year and there is no sign of demand tailing off.
The hospital is spending £19m to extend the unit, with dozens of extra cubicles, x-ray machines and another CT body scanner.
Dr Jonathan Fielden, the medical director responsible for the hospital's A&E, told Sky News: "We are here 24/7. Our lights are always on.
"There is no way of getting away from it, we need a larger department to cope with the numbers."
Rising longevity now means that all hospitals are seeing more frail elderly patients with acute problems. But there has also been a sharp rise in patients with more trivial complaints that could be seen by a GP.
Robert Naylor, Chief Executive of the hospital, said there had been a cultural shift over the last decade with people now expecting to shop, bank and get healthcare whenever they want it.
He said: "Healthcare has had to move into the 21st Century.
"Today's society demands immediate access and the four hour standard of treatment in A&E has accelerated that thinking.
"People can get their diagnosis and treatment on the spot within a guaranteed four hour period."
According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine an extra 400,000 people went to A&E last year in England alone.
But Dr Clifford Mann, President of the college, said the tariff - the amount hospitals are paid for emergency cases - doesn't cover their costs.
He said: "Every hospital in the UK actually loses money on its A&E.
"That's why most hospitals have failed to keep pace with rising demand - investing in a loss-making part of your enterprise has never been a good business model.
"NHS England is currently drawing up a new blueprint of urgent medical services to ease the pressure on hospitals. Patients will be directed towards GP care, pharmacists and other community services."
Apple Bans Hundreds Of Info-Collecting Apps
Developers of the apps in question used a software development kit (SDK) from a Chinese ad firm called Youmi,.
Apple has banned hundreds of iPhone apps that secretly gathered personal information on users.
The 256 apps were available worldwide on the App Store and have been downloaded more than a million times, according to the app analytics firm SourceDNA which discovered the problem.
Developers of the apps in question used a software development kit (SDK) from a Chinese ad firm called Youmi, allowing them to put adverts into the apps.
But while that's permitted, the Youmi software also gathered information about people who had downloaded the apps, which is not.
Email addresses and iPhone serial numbers were scooped up and sent to Youmi's data servers.
This broke Apple's strict privacy guidelines for app developers, and led to the app purge.
SourceDNA said the software was designed to hide the fact that data was being shared.
It notified Apple on Sunday and the apps - which have not been publicly named - were removed from the App Store on Monday.
In a statement Apple said: "This is a violation of our security and privacy guidelines.
"The apps using Youmi's SDK will be removed from the App Store and any new apps submitted to the App Store using this SDK will be rejected."
Anyone who has downloaded the apps will still be able to use them but they won't be updated.
It is the third big lapse in Apple's App Store security in a month.
Oprah Takes £28m Bite Out Of Weight Watchers
Shares double after the TV star announces a major investment in the business, which has been hit by rising competition from apps.
Oprah Winfrey helped Weight Watchers shares double after it announced a new tie-up which will see her take a major stake in the US business.
The TV presenter and businesswoman, worth $3bn (£1.9bn) according to Forbes, will buy 10% of the stock for $43m (£28m) and receive options to buy an additional 5% chunk.
The share price doubled in pre-market trading, reversing a slump of more than 70% in the stock value over the previous 12 months.
Weight Watchers has been hit by dwindling subscriber numbers and the rise of weight management apps and fitness wristbands.
Oprah, who has previously spoken about her own battles to lose weight, said: "Weight Watchers has given me the tools to begin to make the lasting shift that I and so many of us who are struggling with weight have longed for.
"I believe in the programme so much I decided to invest in the company and partner in its evolution."
Weight Watchers said the TV presenter would be joining the board of directors and "bringing her insight to future products and programmes".
Chief executive Jim Chambers said the business was changing focus from weight loss alone to "more broadly helping people lead a healthier, happier life".
Chairman Ray Debbane said: “Weight Watchers and Oprah Winfrey make a powerful combination."
Weight Watchers describes itself as the world’s leading commercial provider of weight management services, operating through company-owned and franchised operations. It holds more than 36,000 support meetings for members each week.
It also operates online and sells food products including low-calorie cakes, which in the UK are made by bakery group Finsbury Food.
Pistorius 'With Family' After Release From Jail
The disgraced athlete begins house arrest in Pretoria - 12 months after starting a five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend.
Oscar Pistorius is with his family after his release on parole "but his sentence continues", a family spokesman has said.
The athlete was freed a day early - after a year behind bars - and will now serve the rest of his five-year sentence under house arrest.
He is expected to live at the home of his uncle Arnold Pistorius in a smart suburb of Pretoria - the same address where he lived while on bail during the lengthy trial in Pretoria last year.
Family spokesman Anneliese Burgess told reporters: "It is very important for the family to emphasise that Oscar's sentence hasn't been shortened or reduced.
"He's simply entering the next phase of his sentence now and he will serve this under the strict conditions that govern correctional supervision.
"The family will support Oscar as he serves out the remaining sentence handed down by the trial judge and he will strictly adhere to the conditions set by the Parole Board and Community Corrections."
The terms of his release have not been made public but are likely to allow some movement and a job approved by authorities. Pistorius will not be allowed to leave the country during the house arrest.
His parole conditions include a continuation of the psychiatric treatment he received in prison, and a ban on possessing firearms.
A correctional services spokesman has not ruled out allowing Pistorius to return to training, and it is not thought he will be required to wear an electronic tag.
However, it is possible he may need to complete some community service, like other parolees in South Africa.
Pistorius' legal team claims he is desperate to put his life back together and eventually wants to work with disadvantaged youngsters.
Jenny Strydom, a friend of Reeva Steenkamp's family, said Pistorius was serving the remainder of his sentence "in a five-star way".
She added: "it will be a lot easier than prison, put it that way. At least he'll be able to eat steak and chips."
Tania Koen, lawyer for the Steenkamp family, said: "They don't want to avenge Reeva's death, nothing will bring Reeva back.
"They don't mean Oscar any harm, even though they do feel that justice must be served."
The 28-year-old was found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, in September 2014 after a seven-month trial.
Ms Steenkamp died when he fired four 9mm shots through a locked toilet door at his gated home on 14 February 2013.
Pistorius told the court in Pretoria he had mistaken her for a burglar and was acting in self-defence.
Prosecutors are currently appealing the culpable homicide verdict, arguing it should be murder because Pistorius must have known the person behind the door could be killed.
The appeal is due to be heard on 3 November. If successful, Pistorius could be sent back to jail before the end of the year - and would face a minimum of 15 years behind bars. South Africa no longer has the death penalty.
Known as "Blade Runner" because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, Pistorius became one of the biggest names in world athletics at the London 2012 Olympics when he reached the semi-finals of the men's 400m against able-bodied athletes.
South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of violent crime.
Doctor found in doorway died from coke and booze binge: autopsy
Doctor found in doorway died from coke and booze binge: autopsy
“The manner of death is accident,’’ added the city Medical Examiner’s Office.
Dr. Kiersten Rickenbach Cerveny, a 38-year-old mother of three, was found unconscious Oct. 4 in the doorway of 223 W. 16th St.
She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Police sources have said Cerveny went on a drug binge with married HBO producer Marc Henry Johnson, 51, before she collapsed.
Yul Edochie Sustains Injury In Armed Robbery Attack
Yul Edochie Sustains Injury In Armed Robbery Attack
Yul was attacked by armed robbers while in Enugu to shoot a movie. Yul said he was relaxing in his hotel after the day shooting when suddenly armed robbers invaded the hotel.
“I really wish it’s a rumour but it’s not. This really happened. I was attacked by armed robbers on Friday night in enugu while I was relaxing in my hotel premises after the day’s shoot. Luckily I escaped but unfortunately I crashed into a glass door as I was running for dear life and sustained this cut on my ear and a few bruises. Not a funny experience at all. I’m back to Lagos to run a full scan to be sure all is well inside. I thank God for His protection,” Yul said on his Instagram page.
See picture of injured Yul below:
Yul who is the son of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie shared a photograph of the injuries he sustained in the course of the attack on social media.
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