Facebook, Tinder and Airbnb Apps are being used to lure women into sex trafficking in Colombia. In an investigation carried out by Bloomberg, several girls shared that they were victims of sexual exploitation. Platforms like Facebook, Tinder and Airbnb allowed predators to lure victims into sex work and plan dates and accommodations with tourists overseas. “With the growing availability of good internet service, the technology to enable this type of crime is on the rise,” Pablo César Villeda Ortiz, former regional president for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International
Cashflow management platform Lenkie has secured £49 million ($62 million) in Series A funding to transform how UK small businesses access capital. The funding round was led by a large US private credit fund focused on supporting lenders internationally. It also included a £4 million ($5 million) equity and a £45 million ($57 million) debt facility, according to a press release shared with POCIT. How does Lenkie support SMEs? Lenkie specializes in payables financing. Instead of waiting weeks or months for payments to process, Lenkie steps in to pay suppliers upfront, helping
The American Geophysical Union (AGU), one of the leading science organizations in the world, has elected Dr. Brandon Jones as its first Black president according to Forbes. Dr Jones graduated from Lincoln University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a degree in biology. He also has a master’s degree and a doctorate in Marine Sciences from the University of Delaware. AGU’s first Black president Speaking with Forbes, Dr Jones says his vision for the AGU is to “continue to develop the elements of future adaptiveness and maintain a
Sustainable fashion has become more popular in the past few years, with more consumers acknowledging the damage fast fashion does to the planet. In a worldwide survey by Statista, over one-quarter of consumers said they had made a significant change toward buying more sustainable products. Additionally, fashion lovers are realising the benefits of investing in pieces, so more individuals have started renting their clothes. In 2025, the US clothing and apparel rental market was expected to be worth $1.5 billion, according to IBIS World. It makes sense; why spend hundreds of dollars on
HBCUvc Alumni Fellows invested over $10 million into Black-founded startups and organizations, according to the organization’s 2024 Annual Impact Report. Black entrepreneurs still struggle to gain capital. In 2024, Black-founded startups received just 0.48% of total US venture capital, from 1.3% in 2021 and 0.5% in 2023, according to Crunchbase. This decline comes at a time when the country is facing a vast overturn in DEI initiatives. HBCUvc aims to create a smooth pipeline of investors, supporting its program participants from their first exposure to venture capital through hands-on experience and,
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
