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Russia blames Ukraine, opposition for death of top military blogger

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A blast wounded dozens and killed a top military blogger in Saint Petersburg

A blast wounded dozens and killed a top military blogger in Saint Petersburg – Copyright AFP/File Ted ALJIBE

Russia alleged on Monday the “terrorist attack” that killed a top military blogger the day before was orchestrated by Ukraine with the help of supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Russian investigators detained 26-year-old Darya Trepova, who was said to have links to Navalny, and posted a video in which she said is heard saying she brought to the cafe a statuette rigged with an explosive device.

Ukraine has blamed Russia’s domestic infighting for the blast in a Saint Petersburg cafe that wounded dozens and killed Vladlen Tatarsky, an active promoter of the Ukraine offensive.

“The terrorist attack was planned by Ukrainian security services with the help of agents working with the so-called Anti-Corruption Foundation,” Russia’s anti-terror committee said, referring to Navalny’s banned organisation.

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A spokeswoman for Navalny’s foundation rejected the accusation. 

“Alexei will soon be on trial for extremism. He is facing 35 years. The Kremlin thought: ‘It’s great to be able to add the terrorism charge’,” Kira Yarmysh said.

Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Trepova had been arrested for 10 days for taking part in a protest on February 25, 2022, a day after the launch of the offensive in Ukraine.

The Russian interior ministry published a video of Trepova admitting to bringing a statuette that exploded. 

Asked on camera who gave it to her, she said she would answer “later”.

– Blood and glass –

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Tatarsky was reportedly killed after receiving a gift statuette rigged with an explosive device during a talk at “Street Food Bar No. 1”, located along the Neva river not far from the historic city centre. 

“They put (the figurine) somewhere in the back without a second thought… and all of a sudden there was an explosion,” Alisa Smotrova, who was at the cafe, told AFP.

“There was blood and pieces of glass,” she added.

The police were called at around 6:13 pm (1513 GMT) on Sunday and cordoned off the street outside the building.

Around 20 police cars, six ambulances and several fire engines were at the scene, according to an AFP journalist there.

The venue used to be owned by the head of Wagner paramilitary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.

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Prigozhin said on Telegram he “gave the cafe to patriotic movement Cyber Front Z and they organised various seminars there”. 

Cyber Front Z, which refers to itself on social media as “Russia’s information troops”, said it had hired out the cafe for the evening.

A local media outlet, Fontanka, said there were at least 100 people at the event

Prigozhin however said he believed the responsibility for the attack did not lie with Kyiv but with “a group of radicals that is hardly related to the (Ukrainian) government”.

The Kremlin condemned the “terrorist attack” and said “there is evidence… that the Ukrainian special services may be related to its organisation”.

– ‘Kill everyone’ –

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On Sunday evening Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said the attack happened as a result of Russian infighting. 

“(The) question of when domestic terrorism would become an instrument of internal political fight was a matter of time,” he said on Twitter.

Prigozhin said he hoisted the Russian flag with an inscription honouring the deceased blogger over the city administration of Bakhmut, which he claimed to have seized.

The Russian foreign ministry on Sunday paid hommage to the blogger and his “service to the Fatherland, which aroused Kyiv’s hatred”. 

Tatarsky, whose real name is Maxim Fomin, made his name early in the Ukraine offensive by publishing videos analysing the situation on the ground and offering advice for mobilised troops, according to TASS news agency.

The 40-year-old came from the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia claims to have annexed and which is currently mostly held by Russian troops.

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After spending time in prison for robbing a bank, he escaped and went to take part in armed combat in the Donetsk region in 2014, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

Kommersant said he retired from military service in 2019 and founded his popular Telegram channel, which had more than 500,000 followers at the time of his death. 

Last September, he told the media at a ceremony in the Kremlin: “We will defeat everyone. We will kill everyone. We will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it.”

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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