The morning of Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, many users began searching “Is Roblox down?” after encountering error messages while trying to access their favorite games. Roblox, the popular multiplayer online platform where users create and explore virtual worlds built from digital blocks, is experiencing a major global outage, Techloy reports. The disruption is affecting users in North America, Europe, India, and parts of Asia, with more than 15,000 complaints reported on outage-tracking website DownDetector. Per DownDetector, most reports involve server connection issues, accounting for roughly 63% of complaints. Gameplay problems make up about 31%, while approximately 5% of users say they cannot access the website at all. User reports vary widely: some players can log in but can’t join games, others are stuck at the login screen, and some experience brief access before being disconnected shortly after entering a game, per Techloy. The issues are affecting players across PC, mobile...

An AI-powered solution was launched for displaced workers and recent college graduates in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. Talent Capital Talent Capital, a regional career services initiative of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, was launched in Washington, D.C., by Mayor Muriel Bowser and partners in October 2025, according to a press release. The new program comes after over 317,000 federal employees lost their jobs in 2025, with defense, agriculture, and treasury departments taking the hardest hits, per Federal News Network. In the DMV area, 34,100 federal employees lost their jobs from January to September 2025, according to Bethesda Magazine. Furthermore, college graduates have also been challenged in the job market with fewer entry-level positions available, CNBC mentions. Youth unemployment is sometimes an “early indicator that the economy is slowing down or maybe even heading towards a recession,” according to Anders Humlum,...

Following a successful social media campaign, CurlMix is now on track to become self-sustaining once more. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the clean, natural haircare line was founded by Kim and Tim Lewis, who first appeared on “Shark Tank” with their idea in 2019 but went on to raise funds on their own. Kim announced on Nov. 1, 2025, that the company was on the brink of closing if they did not receive 20,000 orders within 60 days. It wouldn’t be the first time the brand has sought community support. They previously raised $3.6 million in a 2021 crowdfunding campaign, and three years later, an additional $5.7 million was raised in a separate campaign. In a follow-up post on the business’s health, Kim admitted the funding campaign was not enough to keep the company in operation. She described 2025 as “the most difficult year in business” in a post shared on Instagram, citing challenges such as taxes, increased tariffs, and ingredient costs, as well as shipping delays. A decrease in...

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not renew DEI-related grants in 2026. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, following a settlement agreement, the Trump administration announced it would review applications that had been frozen as a result of DEI efforts. The NIH had previously cut $783 million in grants for this reason, a move that the Supreme Court approved in August 2025. NIH officials “will complete their consideration of the Applications in the ordinary course of NIH’s scientific review process, without applying the Challenged Directives,” according to News From The States, and this will apply to grant applications that were made up to Sept. 29, 2025. The decision has already led to the approval of more than 100 previously paused grants, STAT reports . However, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said those actions will not reflect the agency’s direction in 2026. In an interview with Journalist Paul Thacker, Bhattacharya stated that the DEI work the NIH has prioritized for...

Uncle Nearest’s founders have filed a civil lawsuit against the company’s former chief financial officer, according to The Lynchburg Times. The whiskey brand has been under a receivership as a result of a July 2025 lawsuit filed by Uncle Nearest’s lender, Farm Credit Mid-America, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. The lender claims the company had defaulted on loans of more than $108 million. U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. appointed Tennessee attorney Phillip G. Young Jr. as receiver, so Young now manages assets such as Uncle Nearest’s distillery in Shelbyville, TN, and “real estate holdings, intellectual property, affiliated ventures, and related entities,” according to Moore County Observer. Uncle Nearest, which was the fastest-growing in America, according to Forbes’ 2024 estimates, was launched in 2017 by Fawn Weaver and her husband, Keith, and upholds the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, a formerly enslaved man credited with teaching Jack Daniel how to make whiskey....

DoorDash has banned a delivery driver for allegedly using an AI-generated image in a suspected hack to fake a legitimate delivery. According to Nexstar, the on-demand delivery platform confirmed the deletion of the Dasher’s account following an incident where the driver allegedly used an AI-generated photo to convince a customer that their order had been delivered. The customer, Byrne Hobart of Austin, TX, first shared details of the incident, including the photo he allegedly received, in a post on X on Dec. 26, 2025. “Amazing. DoorDash driver accepted the drive, immediately marked it as delivered, and submitted an AI-generated image of a DoorDash order … at our front door,” Hobart wrote. Hobart later said he does not believe the DoorDash driver was ever at his home, but instead used several tactics to deceive both him and the company, Nexstar reports. He thinks the person behind the phony delivery was a scammer who hacked an actual driver’s account, changed their information, and...

Flutterwave, Africa’s largest fintech company, has acquired Nigerian bank, Mono, to “chart” the continent’s “next big leap in payments,” according to a press release. Flutterwave, headquartered in San Francisco and with a presence in more than 33 African countries, has processed more than $2 billion in payments and over 25 million transactions, according to information on its website. The company, led by a team of seasoned African professionals from companies including Standard Bank, PayPal, and Google Wallet, was created to empower businesses and banks financially. The platform provides the technology, tools, and infrastructure for users to accept payments globally, make single or bulk transfers to bank accounts, launch e-commerce websites, generate unique payment links, create instant virtual cards, and more, per its website. Flutterwave Acquires Mono Flutterwave has acquired Mono — a Nigerian open banking startup that had raised $17.5 million — in an all-stock deal that is valued...

Shaquille O’Neal is making more money with his fast-food chicken chain than he did while in the NBA. NBA Career The center was drafted to the league in the first round as the first overall pick in 1992. He started out playing for the Orlando Magic and spent the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading to three consecutive national championship rings. In total, he won four, per StatMuse. He retired in 2011 with $286.3 million in career earnings, with $30 million earned annually at his peak, according to Entrepreneur. Business Moves After The League O’Neal’s earnings have only soared after his exit from the league through a slew of strategic decisions that have paid off, including serving as the second-largest shareholder of Authentic Brand Group; having his own investment portfolio, which includes Google; accumulating endorsement deals such as with The General and The Hershey Co.; and a business empire with an affordable shoe line that has sold more than 470...

Drake has been named in a class-action lawsuit tied to the betting industry. Lawsuit Explained As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the Canadian-born rapper, born Aubrey Drake Graham, has bet more than $1 billion on Stake.us, a casino and poker website, since 2021. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Virginia by LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines — and representing other residents in the state who lost at least one wager through Stake Cash within the last three years — it claims that they were “influenced to participate” and engage in its “predatorial gambling environment,” through Drake’s promotion of the platform, which includes live-streamed gambling sessions and giveaways, according to Rolling Stone. View this post on Instagram The lawsuit also mentions as defendants Adin Ross, a popular streamer on Kick, and an Australian national named George Nguyen, who allegedly acted as a “broker and operational facilitator” and receive cryptocurrency through Stake channels. Their efforts...

Dame Dash ‘s film company, Poppington LLC, sold for $100.50 at a public auction on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, as part of efforts to satisfy nearly $1 million in judgments against him. According to The New York Post, Mike Muntaser, CEO of Muddy Water Motion Pictures (MWP), submitted the winning bid. Muntaser, who holds a $973,000 claim against Dash stemming from civil defamation lawsuits, described the purchase as a “jab” at Dash, accusing him of prolonging years of litigation rather than resolving their disputes amicably. He and filmmaker Josh Webber have successfully sued Dash twice for defamation. Additionally, as of last week, they have a third lawsuit in the works. “He’s just a problem,” Muntaser told The Post. “He has an ego. I think he’s just bitter [coming] from where he was to where he is, and he just blames everybody else and doesn’t look at himself in the mirror.” “For him being on a big stage with like Jay-Z and [Ye],” Muntaser added, “why are your peers doing good, [being]...

Tax season is here, and that could mean bigger refunds for many Americans after significant changes in the 2025 federal tax rules. But the season may also bring delays and confusion. According to USA Today, households will need to navigate new deductions for tip income, overtime pay, car loan interest, and the senior tax break for those 65 and older — along with unexpected restrictions. Many changes come from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, which includes new tax breaks retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025. “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill will unleash the full potential of the U.S. economy. It locks in permanent, pro-growth tax cuts for families, workers, and job creators,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said of the bill. “The bill also enacts No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and new tax cuts for seniors. The OBBB will strengthen important programs for those who need them most and save taxpayer dollars by cutting waste, fraud, and...

Barnes & Noble has said goodbye to two major locations as the nation’s largest retail bookstore continues to grow in other areas. On Jan. 18, 2026, the Barnes & Noble at Route 59 in Rockland Plaza, Nanuet, NY, will close after 33 years, The U.S. Sun reports . This leaves Rockland County with just one Barnes & Noble at the Palisades Center in West Nyack — a location whose future remains uncertain. An employee confirmed the closure on Dec. 29, 2025, telling the Rockland County Business Journal the store “couldn’t renew its lease.” Hundreds of miles south, another Barnes & Noble location is also closing. The store at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines, FL, has been a local fixture for nearly two decades, but announced it will soon close. “It is with great sadness that we confirm the closure of this Barnes & Noble bookstore , as our lease has ended,” the store shared in a post on Instagram. “Our last day will be January 18, 2026. We have loved being a part of this...

Target will soon have to pay millions to its workers. Here’s who will qualify. Newsweek reports that in November 2022, former employee Krystal Sadler filed a lawsuit, also on behalf of “other similarly situated hourly employees,” alleging that Target violated the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law and the New Jersey Wage Payment Law. Sadler worked at one of the named warehouses in the lawsuit, Logan, as a non-exempt hourly worker from Sept. 8, 2022, to Nov. 22, 2022. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed they were not paid for all hours worked, including time spent traveling to their assigned departments to clock in and out, sometimes across long distances. It also stated they were not paid for all hours spent on mandatory security screenings. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that the plaintiffs had to complete these unpaid work-related activities before and after shifts. “In this day and age, there is no technological barrier to paying plaintiffs and other employees for such time....

Michael Jordan is co-owner of a Florida-based dining establishment that could soon expand. The Chicago Bulls legend and billionaire is listed as one of the founding members of 1000 NORTH, a Jupiter, FL-based waterfront private club and fine-dining restaurant that offers a panoramic view of landmarks Jupiter Inlet and Jupiter Lighthouse, Miami New Times reports. The venture is the brainchild of real estate developer Ira Fenton and Tucker Frederickson, a former athlete who played in the NFL. The location offers several separate dining experiences for guests including The Tavern, which offers modern American regional cuisine. The full-service dining room, 1000 North, also offers steaks and fresh seafood. “We wanted to give guests something they can’t find in our area – an experience many people travel to Miami or New York to get,” Fenton said on the company’s website. “We’re bringing that to Jupiter, and topping it off with a beautiful waterfront view of the Jupiter Lighthouse. Those...

Lewis Hamilton is one of the highest-paid drivers in Formula 1. As previously reported by AFROTECH™ , the English race car driver entered the sport at 8 years old. Representation was scarce, but the sport gave him a chance to feel accepted. “Being the only Black kid on the circuit, struggling at school, really, always my big drive was acceptance — ‘If I win the race, I will receive that acceptance in this world,’” he told GQ at the time. Hamilton grew up to make history in the sport. He went pro in 2007, at 22, signing with McLaren. In doing so, he became the first Black driver in Formula 1. “When I first started in Formula 1, I tried to ignore the fact I was the first black guy ever to race in the sport,” Hamilton told BBC. “But, as I’ve got older, I’ve really started to appreciate the implications. It’s a pretty cool feeling to be the person to knock down a barrier — just like the Williams sisters did in tennis or Tiger Woods in golf.” Hamilton later signed with the Mercedes...