San Francisco – Newswire Report

Phyllis Lyon, LGBTQ rights pioneer, dies at age 95

April 12, 2020April 12, 2020 NewsEditorLGBT rights, San Francisco, US news

She and her wife, Del Martin, were activists and mentors before there was a movement or community, said a longtime friend Phyllis Lyon, an LGBTQ rights pioneer who, with her longtime partner, was among the first same-sex couples to marry in California when it became legal to do so in 2008, has died at her San Francisco home. She was 95. A photo of the couple from the the 2003 film No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Photograph: Allstar/Sundance Channel Lyon lived her life with…

Odds and Ends

Maintain data security when staff is working from home

April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 NewsEditorfirewall, internet service, mobile device, mobile device management, San Francisco, Technology, telecommuting, virtual private networks, vpn

The coronavirus pandemic has left governments floundering, businesses unprepared and citizens scrambling for hand sanitizer like it’s worth its weight in gold. The sense of general unpreparedness has a lot of people on edge. Not surprising, since we’re on the edge of a global health emergency and it’s impossible to predict exactly how government, travel or day-to-day business will operate during this outbreak. Many tech companies already allow their staffs to work from home. Remote work policies are increasingly popular across the tech industry as companies push flexible working arrangements.…

Odds and Ends

Postmates reveals plans to cover medical costs for couriers as part of COVID-19 response

April 8, 2020April 8, 2020 NewsEditorCalifornia, coronavirus, COVID-19, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Postmates, San Francisco

Postmates said that it will be creating a fund to cover the costs for doctor appointments and medical expenses related to the COVID-19 outbreak for its delivery fleet, and, for merchants, Postmates will waive commission fees for stores in impacted markets. The goal, the company said, is to give small business owners access to on-demand delivery at no additional cost. Postmates said it would launch the initiatives this week. As the company noted, more than half of Americans are unable to afford a $400 unexpected expense, so the Postmates Fleet…

Odds and Ends

What we know (and dont) about Goldman Sachs Africa VC investing

February 1, 2020February 1, 2020 NewsEditorafrica, Andreessen Horowitz, asia, e-commerce, entrepreneurship, Europe, finance, Ghana, Goldman Sachs, head, Investment Banking, Jules Frebault, jumia, jumo, Kenya, kobo360, London, Middle East, Money, Nigeria, player, Private Equity, Rocket Internet, San Francisco, sequoia capital, South Africa, Twiga Foods, Uber, United States, Venture Capital, zipline

Goldman Sachs is investing in African tech companies. The venerable American investment bank and financial services firm has backed startups from Kenya to Nigeria and taken a significant stake in e-commerce venture Jumia, which listed on the NYSE in 2019. Though Goldman declined to comment on its Africa VC activities for this article, the company has spoken to TechCrunch in the past about specific investments. Goldman Sachs is one of the most enviable investment banking shops on Wall Street, generating $36 billion in net revenues in 2019, or roughly $1…