It’s official, “Akon City” is still on its way! R&B sensation, Akon announced that construction for his futuristic pan-African city will begin next year, AP News reports. The $6 billion project will still proceed despite global tourism’s uncertain future due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by the hit film, “Black Panther,” Akon first set his sights on creating a utopian city back in 2018 and has described it as a “real-life Wakanda,” much like the technologically advanced fictional African place portrayed in the film. Akon hopes his city will serve as a “home back home” for Black Americans and others facing racial injustices. His aim is also to provide...
Never Doubt Your Dreams by Rethabile Mohlala
[LivingTheDream] Never doubt your dreams! Four years ago… just 3 days after I started @nojokescomedy I went to YFM Studios for an interview on their current affairs show (Business Segment) to talk about my new venture @nojokescomedy and other business moves I was making then. I told them that @NoJokesComedy will report about Comedy until Jesus Christ comes back and start using Twitter to spread his gospel. When I got there I bumped into this guy Takunda Bimha – the founder and producer of Johannesburg International Comedy Festival. They interviewed us together. We also spoke about the business aspects of...
Kimora Lee Simmons Launches Baby Phat Beauty Brand Alongside Daughters
Kimora Lee Simmons has been setting her girls up for success for decades through her lifestyle label, Baby Phat, established in 1999. Her daughters, Ming and Aoki Lee grew up with a behind-the-scenes look often appearing in campaigns for the brand. As young women, they will now join Simmons as the faces and brains of Baby Phat Beauty, a partnership they’ve inked with HatchBeauty Brands, according to Yahoo News. It’s been 20 years since Simmons created Baby Phat and since relaunching the label, she’s collaborated with Forever 21 and Foot Locker. Now setting her sights on beauty, Simmons is no stranger to...
3 New Smartphones to Launch in 2020 Made in South Africa
South Africa’s first smartphone maker, Mara Phones, will launch three new smartphones this year. These will be in addition to the two smartphones that Mara Phones’ factory currently produces – the Mara X and the Mara Z. Speaking with MyBroadband, Mara Phones Head of Growth Sylvester Taku said that Mara Phones plans to launch the following three new smartphone models this year: Mara Z1 Mara X1 Mara S “We have already started with teaser campaigns and expression of interest call to action across our digital platforms,” said Taku. The Mara Z1 offers the best performance of the three new smartphones,...
Google’s personalised audio news feature, Your News Update, comes to Google Podcasts
Last year, Google launched a personalized playlist of audio news called “Your News Update” for Google Assistant. The feature leverages machine learning techniques to understand the news content and how it relates to the listener’s own likes and interests. Today, the company says it’s publishing this personalized audio experience on Google Podcasts, allowing it to reach millions of podcast listeners in the U.S. To subscribe to Your News Update, users will launch the Google Podcasts app, navigate to the Explore tab, then subscribe to listen a mix of stories that will reflect their interests, location, user history, and other preferences. Image Credits: Your News Update...
Facebook launches support for paid online events
Businesses will now be able to monetize online events on Facebook, thanks to a new feature that the social network is launching in the United States and 19 other countries today. In a call with reporters, Head of Facebook App Fidji Simo said that Facebook’s Events feature was designed for in-person events, but with the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing orders, the company “really quickly pivoted” to supporting online events. In fact, Simo said that in June of this year, live broadcasts on Facebook Pages doubled compared to the same period in 2019. Simo also outlined the new feature in a Facebook blog post....
Netflix makes some movies and shows free worldwide to non-subscribers
Over the past year, Netflix has attempted to expand its appeal in part by making a title or two free to non-paying users in select markets. Now the American giant is extending this test to users across the globe — with a larger free catalog. The on-demand video streaming service is currently offering select Netflix Original movies and TV shows including “Stranger Things”, “Murder Mystery”, “Elite”, “Bird Box”, “When They See Us”, “The Two Popes”, “Our Planet”, and Grace and Frankie” to non-paying subscribers across all the nearly 200 nations and territories where it is operational. Only first episodes of the shows are available...
Uncle Nearest CEO Fawn Weaver is Creating A Pipeline For More Blacks to Enter the Whiskey Industry
Photo Credit: Instagram / @unclenearest Fawn Weaver is committed. As the first Black woman to lead the world’s firstmajor spirits brand on record to commemorate an African-American, she has dedicated resources to bringing more people of color into the industry. In June, the Jack Daniel’s Distillery and the Nearest Green Distillery announced the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative, an accelerated apprenticeship program designed to promote diversity and Black leadership in the American whiskey industry. Weaver is also working with the two Tennessee distilleries to create the Nearest Green School of Distilling, whose STEM-based curriculum is being developed in partnership with Motlow State...
India bans PUBG Mobile, and over 100 other Chinese apps
India has banned more than 100 additional apps with linkage to China, including popular mobile game PUBG, citing cybersecurity concerns as geopolitical tensions escalate at the two neighboring nations’ disputed border. On Wednesday, India’s IT Ministry ordered to ban 118 apps that it said were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” The move will help “safeguard the interests of crores (tens of millions) of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security, and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” the ministry said. “The Ministry of Electronics...
DJ Sbu aims for Guinness World Record for Longest Online Radio Show
A spot in the Guinness World Records – that is the next box to tick for entrepreneur and radio personality DJ Sbu Leope. Speaking at the launch of his company’s carbonated soft drinks MoFaya khon-drink on Tuesday in Rosebank, Leope said: “We have entered and they’ve confirmed that we will be going for the world record for the longest radio music show in the world. “We are going to do more than 300 hours. We are going to break the world record by broadcasting a radio show from the 15th of December until the 31st. I will be live on...