Author: Fatimah Idera

Meta has taken a bold step to reshape its artificial intelligence ambitions by acquiring a 49% stake in Scale AI, valuing the data-labeling startup at $29 billion. As part of the deal, Scale’s 28-year-old co-founder and CEO, Alexandr Wang, will join Meta to spearhead its new superintelligence initiative. While Meta did not disclose financial terms in its official statement, two sources familiar with the matter confirmed the $14.3 billion cash investment. The primary motivation behind the deal, according to insiders, was to bring Wang into Meta’s leadership fold to reinvigorate its AI strategy. “We will deepen the work we do…

A United States of America Appeal Court on Thursday granted President Donald Trump order to maintain his deployment of national guard troops in Los Angeles, temporarily pausing a lower court order that blocked the mobilization amid growing protests over intensified immigration enforcement. The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal does not resolve the legal challenge but allows Trump to retain control over the Guard, at least for now. The panel comprising two Trump-appointed judges and one appointed by President Joe Biden said it would hear arguments on the matter next Tuesday. Earlier the same day, U.S. District…

China on Thursday confirmed its commitment to a recently announced trade agreement with the United States, underscoring the importance of mutual adherence to the deal’s terms.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving maternal and child health in Nigeria, with a targeted goal of reducing the maternal mortality rate by 20% and the under-five mortality rate by 15% by the year 2027. This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, during a ceremony in Enugu State where 10,000 professional kits were distributed to midwives. The event, held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, was part of an ongoing initiative spearheaded by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Dr. Salako emphasised that the distribution of professional kits…

More than 100 people lost their lives on Thursday when an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, in western India, making it one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent history. According to authorities, the aircraft carrying 242 people, including 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants plunged into a residential area minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed to Gatwick Airport, south of London. Police confirmed that over 100 charred bodies had been taken to a government hospital for autopsies. The plane reportedly crashed…

Meta has announced the launch of the Llama Impact Accelerator, an eight-month artificial intelligence (AI) programme designed to support Nigerian startups leveraging AI to address local challenges. The initiative is being rolled out in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). According to Meta, the programme is aimed at early-stage startups building AI-powered tools using its open-source Llama models. The focus will be on four key sectors: agriculture, healthcare, security and safety, and a wildcard category for other…

The American multinational tyre manufacturer Goodyear has announced plans to close its manufacturing operations in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, marking the end of a facility that has been in operation since 1947. According to a report by BusinessTech South Africa, Goodyear will maintain its presence in the country through sales and distribution channels, including its Hi-Q Retail network, but will cease all local manufacturing activities. The Nelson Mandela Bay plant currently employs around 900 people directly, with many more jobs supported across its value chain, including in logistics, security, catering, and maintenance. The closure is part of a broader…

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to revive enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a decades-old law banning bribery of foreign officials by companies operating in the U.S., though with a more focused and less burdensome approach for businesses. This shift was outlined in a memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and further explained by top DOJ official Matthew Galeotti during an anti-corruption conference in New York on Tuesday. Under the revised strategy, DOJ enforcement will prioritise cases that directly impact U.S. interests, such as those that disadvantage American companies in global competition, involve critical…

Hundreds of U.S. Marines have arrived in Los Angeles under orders from President Donald Trump, escalating a federal response to recent protests sparked by sweeping immigration raids. Despite largely peaceful demonstrations on Monday, Trump authorized the deployment of roughly 700 Marines and activated 4,000 National Guard troops, drawing sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other local leaders. According to a U.S. official, around half of the Marines arrived late Monday, with the rest expected on Tuesday. The Department of Defense has yet to comment publicly. U.S. Northern Command said the Marines, alongside National Guard forces, will help protect…

Britain is set to invest more than £6 billion ($8.13 billion) to expand its submarine-building capabilities, with major support directed towards defence giant BAE Systems and engineering firm Rolls-Royce. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Finance Minister Rachel Reeves. The investment is part of a broader push by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to significantly ramp up the UK’s defence capabilities, responding in part to U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls for Europe to shoulder more responsibility for its own security. Starmer has committed to the largest sustained increase in British defence spending since the Cold War. As part of this…