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6 Signs Your PC is About to Crash

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Computer crashes can sincerely be frustrating – one moment your PC seems fine and then next it’s down and takes your files along with it.
However, as suddenly and seemingly unexpected computer crashes can be, they do give signs beforehand.
Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency reveals 6 issues your PC is likely to have before it crashes.

Hardware Conflict
Sometimes, two components of a PC will try to consume the same resource or perform the same task. This creates a hardware conflict which manifests itself in unusual behavior during certain tasks. An example of this is an audio conflict that might disable audio in some programs, but not in others. These conflicts might not initially crash the system, but they tend to cause instability in the system which leads to a Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) and/or a reboot.

To fix this, you should open the Windows’ Device Manager (you can find this in the Control Panel or via Windows Search) and check for hardware with a conflict. Hardware with a conflict typically appears with a yellow exclamation point next to it. You can re-install drivers for the malfunctioning hardware, or if you can’t stop the two components from interfering with it each other, try disabling one of them. If that still doesn’t work, then you probably have to physically remove one of the conflicting components (a technician should be able to help with this).

Random File or Program Corruption Issues
This is one of the classic signs of an imminent computer crash. This is when files that always worked suddenly don’t open, or only work on occasion. It may or may not be accompanied by an error message.  To fix this, you should first ensure your anti-virus is running and up to date. Then you should run a full system scan for malware. A virus can sometimes be the cause of this issue. Another cause is a failing hard drive, so you should also check this for problems. If this doesn’t reveal the problem, look for hardware conflicts in the Windows Device Manager. A driver issue might be the cause.

Slow, Unreliable or Noisy Mechanical Hard Drive
Though Mechanical Hard Drives have become reliable over time, they still contain mechanical components that eventually wear out over time. So, the failure of these parts is a reality that users should prepare themselves for.

If programs are taking a long time to load, files don’t always open, or the sound of the driver has become louder when it’s working, then it’s likely the hard drive is wearing out. You can check the drive for errors, but please don’t consider yourself problem free if the result shows no errors. It is better to backup data to be safe.

Noisy System Fan
If your PC fan is suddenly louder than normal it’s because its internals are too warm. This can eventually lead to a crash and even hardware damage. SpeedFan, a PC monitoring tool, can help you investigate the problem and give you information on the temperatures your CPU and GPU are reporting. If the problem persists, you can take your PC to a technician to open up your desktop and clean out its fan, or replace the cooling pad with a new one.

Random Software and/or Adware Launches
If software launches without your permission, it is likely that your PC is a victim of malware. Often, the programs that appear are linked to one advertisement or the other, but Trojan can allow this avenue of attack. Also, if certain hardware like the webcam tends to activate without your consent, this is also part of the issue. This tampering eventually leads to problems with your PC as your PC is slammed with unwanted programs or its files are corrupted maliciously.

Solving this problem is not very easy, but you can remove the malwares and properly clean up your PC after an attack. An easier solution would be to make sure your files are backed up and then perform a clean re-install of Windows.

Occasional Boot Errors
When your system occasionally shows errors when you are booting your PC, it’s one of the signs to consider. The error message is usually along the lines of “boot device not found”. The Windows might eventually fail to reboot after the message, but might work at a later time or immediately if you press the reset button.

Occasional boot errors are generally a sign that something is wrong with your hard drive, or that your Windows installation has become corrupt. The common and usually the only way to fix this problem is to replace the drive and/ or re-install Windows.


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StarNews, Global Black Economic Forum Launch Business Competition In Partnership with MTN & USAID

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Africa’s leading video streaming platform, StarNews Mobile and the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), have announced a call for applications for the launch of their Business Competition in Lagos, Nigeria.

Held in partnership with MTN and United Nations Agency for International Development (USAID), the initiative will empower Nigeria’s most promising businesses that are classified as Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with invaluable investment and partnership opportunities from the USA.

Held over 10 weeks between April 8th to June 14th, hosted exclusively on the StarNews Biz Channel on the StarNews platform, this competition offers a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to showcase their ventures and gain national visibility.

With subscribers voting for their favourite candidates, the top 20 contestants will seize the spotlight and make their mark on the business landscape.

The StarNews Business Competition in partnership with GBEF delivers a unique opportunity for thriving Nigerian SMEs to access mentoring, funding, partnerships and socio-economic development tools through the Global Black Economic Forum.

With the prospect of securing cash prizes through StarNews worth up to NGN5,000,000, getting access to StarNews’s network of investors and the opportunity to gain national visibility by having their business on the StarNews web platform.

The top three winners will also receive coaching from GBEF’s Academy for Advancing Excellence and become part of GBEF’s ecosystem of global leaders committed to social and economic justice across the Black Diaspora.

Previous speakers at GBEF convenings from the entertainment sector include Wyclef Jean (Haitian Musician & Activist), Debra Lee (Former CEO of Black Entertainment Television – BET) and Ceci Kurzman (Founder of Nexus Management Group). Applications will close on April 5th 2024.

Speaking on the competition’s launch, Guy Kamgaing, Founder and CEO at StarNews Mobile, says “The StarNews Business Competition is a passion project close to our hearts at StarNews Mobile.

It’s about discovering the most promising business entrepreneurs and creators in Nigeria, opening up global opportunities for them and providing them with the resources and tools to achieve their goals.

By partnering with MTN, USAID and GBEF, we want to be a platform of empowerment for these SMEs by helping them give back to the communities that are supporting them.”

According to the US Embassy and Consulate for Nigeria, over 80% of Nigerian startups are incorporated in the United States and more than 60% of venture capital funding in Nigerian startups accounted for by the US.

In 2023 alone, Nigerian startups raised a total of $398mn however, this signalled a 66% funding decline compared to 2022 due to the global economic downturn, reinforcing the massive need for a fresh injection of capital and business support for Nigeria’s emerging SMEs.

Alphonso David, President and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum notes that, “Our partnership with StarNews Mobile is a critical resource as we continue to build the collective strength of entrepreneurship across the Diaspora.

“Building a sustainable ecosystem of Black entrepreneurs in the United States and across the African continent is essential to create a future that makes economic opportunity and economic freedom a reality for all.”

A sister company to ESSENCE, GBEF advances its work by convening global summits and conferences, bringing together world leaders, business leaders, entrepreneurs, celebrities and civic leaders to address the most challenging problems facing our communities.

GBEF’s Academy for Advancing Excellence facilitates workforce and leadership development strategy, addressing the talent pipeline & employee lifecycle, providing leadership development & coaching, and conducting institutional assessments & research.

GBEF also develops and implements economic and social justice policy recommendations with partners ranging from civil and human rights organisations to government entities and corporations that advocate for economic opportunity, social justice, and health equity through thought leadership, advocacy and litigation.

Launched in 2017, StarNews Mobile empowers African content creators with the unique opportunity to monetize their work through a subscription model, boasting over 4 million subscribers and a thriving community of more than 120 content creators.

With a strong presence across six countries including Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire, Congo, Benin and Ghana, the platform has also established key partnerships with major telecom operators such as MTN and Orange.

To-date, StarNews Mobile has secured over $8mn in funding with its most recent raise – a $3mn pre-Series A funding round in October 2023 – led by Janngo Capital with participation from French football players Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jules Koundé and Mike Maignan.

 


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Companies Invest More than $100,000 Yearly to Upskill their Cybersecurity Teams – Study Reveals

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Over 70% of businesses pay more than USD $100,000 for additional training annually to keep skills of their cybersecurity employees up to date, a recent global Kaspersky study has revealed.

However, the surveyed companies also highlighted that there was a lack of relevant courses covering new challenging spheres in the educational market and stated that training does not always bring them the expected result.

In its recent study ‘The portrait of the modern Information Security professional’, Kaspersky examined the topic of the global cybersecurity staff shortage, analysing the exact reasons businesses lack cybersecurity experts, and identifying the ways they evaluate and upskill their cybersecurity workforce¹.

According to the research, companies are investing significant amounts in upskilling their cybersecurity teams: 43% of organisations globally say they usually spend between $100,000 and $200,000 per year on information security courses, while 31% even invest over $200,000 for training programs. The remaining 26% state they usually pay less than $100,000 for educational initiatives².

However, cybersecurity practitioners also note that the educational market is struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing industry and fail to deliver the necessary training programs on time.

Survey results for the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa (META) region shows that the scarcity of courses covering new challenging spheres (48%) was the main problem for those searching for cybersecurity training.

50% of respondents from the META region also stated that trainees tend to forget what they learned because they had no opportunity to apply newly acquired knowledge, therefore the courses were useless to them.

The need for special training pre-requisites such as coding and advanced mathematics, which were not specified at the pre-registration stage were also problematic for 37% of practitioners from the META region.

“With a constantly evolving threat landscape, businesses should continually improve the skills of their cybersecurity personnel in order to be well prepared for sophisticated cyberattacks.

“Developing high-profile specialists within the company and building internal expertise can be an effective strategy for organisations that aim to retain existing employees and allow them to grow professionally, instead of constantly hunting for new candidates and checking their professional backgrounds and practical skills.

“For organisations served by Managed Service Providers it is also important to maintain a pretty high level of expertise internally and use the same language when discussing the scope of services and Service Level Agreement with them,” comments Veniamin Levtsov, VP, Center of Corporate Business Expertise at Kaspersky.


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Heirs Insurance Launches User-friendly Website for Stakeholders

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Heirs Insurance Group, Nigeria’s fastest growing insurance group, has launched a new website that delivers the most user-friendly insurance experience in the industry.

Heirs Insurance Launches User-friendly Website for Stakeholders

In addition to its features that aid simple navigation, the website also personalizes the insurance experience taking customers through a short journey that enables them to make decisions quickly on the best insurance plan to support their personal and business success, or access competent insurance advisors to speak with.

According to Ifesinachi Okpagu, chief marketing officer, Heirs Insurance Group, the website, www.heirs insurance group.com, embodies the ethos of the brand: the delivery of simple, quick, and accessible insurance service that delights customers and brings the uninsured much closer to taking up insurance plans.

She said: “Today’s customers want simplicity and this new website delivers on that request, ensuring that people find the right insurance solutionsfor their needs in a few minutes. We are empowering customers to take control of their lives, their businesses, assets, and their most cherished people.” Heirs Insurance Group has been at the forefront of pioneering a new era of insurance solutions since its launch with the roll-out of various initiatives including a seamless mobile app, USSD; Prince, its intuitive chatbot; InConnect, its partnership portal Digital Experience Centre; and more. With the launch of this website, Heirs Insurance Group solidifies its position as the leading digital insurance company in Nigeria, democratising access to insurance for all.


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