Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s privately funded space venture, announced its next flight into space with an all-female crew. In a press release on Thursday, the firm shared that Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez will take a 10-minute flight to space from a West Texas launchpad this spring. This mission will be the first time since Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963 that an all-female crew will be on a human-crewed spaceflight leaving Earth, according to Blue Origin. The all-female crew
Nigeria is suing Binance for $79.5 billion in economic losses, which it alleges were caused by the cryptocurrency exchange’s actions in the country, and $2 billion in unpaid taxes, according to court documents seen by Reuters. Nigerian officials condemned Binance for Nigeria’s currency problems and detained two of its executives in 2024 following cryptocurrency websites emerging as preferred platforms for trading the local naira currency. Binance is one of the most significant crypto exchange currencies globally but is not registered in Nigeria. It did not respond to a request for
Being Black or Brown in tech is one thing; being Black, brown, and queer in tech is another. Being a minority in the tech space can be isolating; now imagine having intersecting identities. The tech space is still very white and male, as only 3% of the UK tech workforce is Black, according to Tech Talent Charter Diversity in Tech Report 2023. While only 2-3% of tech employees identify as LGBT+, as stated by Women Tech Network. So, just existing as a Black or brown queer person in tech is
Gossip personality Tasha K will pay rapper Cardi B nearly $1.2 million over the next five years and refrain from making disparaging remarks about Cardi B or her family, The Rolling Stone reports. Cardi B sued Tasha K, the blogger behind UnWinewithTashaK, for defamation in 2019. A federal jury ruled in Cardi’s favor in 2022, awarding her $4 million over false claims made on YouTube and other platforms. Tasha K filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023, and judge approved the bankruptcy repayment plan on Monday. How much will Tasha
Microsoft has announced its plans to train one million people in digital skills through an Artificial Intelligence skilling initiative in South Africa. The initiative will give South Africans insight into the strategic aspects of AI whilst empowering leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge required to navigate the advancing AI landscape. “Harnessing the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic vision, but a tangible reality for organisations seeking to achieve exponential growth and optimisation,” Lillian Barnard, President for Microsoft Africa, said in a press release. What
Tech workers union Prospect is asking UK lawmakers to examine the diversity efforts of US multinational companies operating in the UK to ensure they comply with UK regulations and values. It has written to Parliament’s Women and Equalities, asking them to review American businesses rolling back DEI efforts. “Prospect represents thousands of UK tech workers, including in companies like Meta, and we have been alarmed to see how these companies have acted since Donald Trump’s inauguration as President,” the letter stated. It added “Not only have the CEOs of many
Hoan Ton-That, the CEO of Clearview AI, has decided to step down from his position, as reported by Forbes. The controversial facial recognition company received criticism in 2020 after gathering billions of images from social media without users’ consent to create a global facial recognition database. With Trump allies now leading Clearview, concerns are growing that a potential Trump administration could expand biometric surveillance, increasing risks for Black and immigrant communities. Clearview AI’s change in leadership Ton-That stepped down as CEO in December, becoming president before later announcing his full
Actress Kerry Washington joined Equip Health, a startup that supports people with eating disorders, as an investor and advisor, Fortune reports. Equip Health has raised $110 million from other angel investors, including Katie Couric and soccer celeb Alex Morgan. Equip provides users with virtual appointments with experts, including therapists, doctors, dietitians, family, and peer mentors. Washington opened up about her eating disorder in her memoir Thicker Than Water. She spoke about her struggles with binge eating and severe food restriction, often not consuming food for several days or obsessively exercising.
MANSA, a global fintech innovator in trans-regional payments, announced its recent $10 million funding round. It raised $3 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Tether and co-headed by Polymorphic Capital with the help of other significant investors like Faculty Group, Octerra Capital, and Thrive Digital. They secured a further $7 million in liquidity funding from corporate investors, quantitative funds, and alternative investment firms. “This funding accelerates our global expansion, enabling us to empower payment companies with seamless, real-time settlement infrastructure and drive the future of payments,” Mouloukou Sanoh, CEO and
Former Obama administration advisor DeJuana L. Thompson joins Akina Technologies PBC as its co-founder, alongside Lisa Green and Dr. Nashlie Sephus, according to a press release. The innovative platform gives users transformative AI solutions, resources, and a space for community. This new leadership appointment will allow Akina Technologies to expand and continue to change millions of lives while transforming the future of connection, visibility, and opportunity. What is Akina Technologies PBC? Akina Technologies PBC helps create the future of culturally competent generative AI solutions for underrepresented communities. Its two main products,
