Modus expands to sub-Saharan Africa with the launch of its AI and blockchain-focused $75M fund

New York-based venture platform Modus has launched Modus Africa, a venture capital fund for AI and blockchain startups across sub-Saharan Africa, TechCrunch has learned. The fund is expected to reach a final close in the first quarter of next year. The spinoff continues Modus’s string of moves over the past 18 months, which has seen…

Rick Scott — Mitch McConnell’s would-be rival — dodged a question on whether he’d back the Kentucky senator for GOP leader

GOP Senator Rick Scott (R) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (L). Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Sen. Rick Scott dodged a question about whether he would back Mitch McConnell for GOP leader.Scott told Fox Business host Larry Kudlow that he wanted to “focus on how do we go forward.”Scott has the support of GOP figures like former…

Twitter’s trust and safety team sent Elon Musk a 7-page list of the risks with his paid verification system, and he launched it anyway: report

Twitter launched its paid verification system on November 9. Getty Images Twitter warned Elon Musk of the dangers in his new badge system before its launch, per Platformer. The trust and safety team said the rework would give rise to impersonation issues and confusion. It also said Twitter doesn’t have an automated way to unverify…

Citadel boss Ken Griffin calls FTX blow-up one of these ‘absolute travesties’ in financial history, as billions will be lost

Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of Citadel, called for better coordination between US regulators in overseeing the crypto industry. E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service/Getty Images Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, called the stunning collapse of FTX a travesty. He said the event will undermine trust in all financial…