Top Stories
Top Stories
ORGANISED CRIME: Virgin Active alerts authorities after gym trainer exposed as drug trafficking fugitive
Virgin Active’s legal team is now involved in the saga involving a personal trainer who was suspended earlier this week after Daily Maverick asked whether the health club was aware he was on the international police organisation Interpol’s fugitive list because he is wanted in Romania for drug trafficking. According to Romanian police, he faces a 16-year jail term there.

Top Stories
Exposed | How KZN Hawks chief was caught in a lie about ties with ‘Cat’ Matlala
WhatsApp messages are produced to contradict top cop’s claims
Top Stories

South Africa
Case against members of alleged international scam postponed to Feb 4
The accused include 29 individuals and 15 entities.

South Africa
Court postpones Bonginkosi Khanyile’s trial to end February
Durban Regional Court has postponed the trial of Bonginkosi Khanyile to the 26th of February 2026

South Africa
Impendle Municipality admits to serious management failures
Impendle Municipality Councillors admit serious failures in the running of the council

South Africa
Suspect arrested for fire at Paarl Provincial Hospital
The Outpatient Department sustained extensive damage.

World
Panic on crowded train – passenger tells BBC of moment of Russian drone strike
Five people died in the attack in northeastern Ukraine when three drones targeted the train.
World
News24 | Trump tells Minneapolis mayor he’s ‘playing with fire’ over immigration enforcement standoff
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned the mayor of Minneapolis – where the brutal killings of two US protesters by immigration agents sparked nationwide outrage – that he is “playing with fire.”

World
Is the US preparing to strike Iran?
Satellite images show a steady and significant build-up of US military forces in the region.

World
Greetings from Mumbai, where residents take breathing space where they can find it
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR’s international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

Africa
US YouTube star IShowSpeed to get Ghanaian passport as Africa tour ends
Ghana’s foreign minister says the influencer is a “worthy ambassador”, but some Ghanaians criticised the move.

Africa
Ex-Nigeria oil minister stands trial in UK on bribery charges
Diezani Alison-Madueke took bribes including luxury goods and private jet travel, a prosecutor tells a London court.

Africa
Nigeria president ‘very fine’ after falling over at Turkey reception
On a visit to Ankara, Bola Tinubu was filmed stumbling and falling after walking past soldiers and dignitaries.

Africa
France invites Chad president in bid to ease troubled relations
Franco-Chadian military relations have been strained after Chad abruptly ended its defence agreement with France.

Business
Explosion at crucial water treatment plant in South Africa
An explosion at South Africa’s biggest water-treatment plant is curbing supplies in a system that serves more than 11 million people.
Business

Business
Deutsche Bank offices raided in money laundering probe
Officials searched offices in Frankfurt and Berlin in relation to “past business relationships”.

Business
Aldi to open 40 new UK locations in 2026
New locations include Southam in Warwickshire, Hastings in Sussex, and Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

Politics
IMF’s confidence in SA shows NDP objectives can be met: Ntshavheni
In 2012, Cabinet adopted the NDP as the country’s economic blueprint.

Politics
Senona says he didn’t open documents Matlala sent on Ramaphosa’s IDs
Senona says that he doesn’t know why the documents were sent to him.

Politics
EFF supports calls to subpoena O’Sullivan and Mokgotsi before Ad Hoc
Mathys demands a report on the summoning of Paul O’Sullivan.

Politics
Extended Cabinet Lekgotla discusses growing the economy
The two-day gathering is called to discuss plans and priorities for the year.

Sport
Stranraer expelled as they miss Rangers cup pay day
Stranraer miss out on a major pay day against Rangers after being expelled from the Scottish Cup for fielding an ineligible player in last week’s victory over Queen’s Park.

Sport
Reed leaves LIV Golf to make PGA Tour return
American Patrick Reed announces he is leaving the LIV Golf series to make a return to the PGA Tour, who will allow him to play from August.

Sport
Cricketers banned as university club suspended over initiation
The behaviour during an event at a Cardiff pub raised “significant” concerns around student safety.

Sport
Wainwright’s emotional Wales return after death of father
Prop Sam Wainwright eyes an emotional Wales return in the Six Nations after the death of his influential father.
Education
How Fed Rate Decisions Affect Mortgages, Credit Cards, Auto Loans and More
The central bank’s policy stance can influence consumer savings and borrowing, from car financing to home equity loans. Here’s how it works.
Education
Ethiopia: Deluge, Defense, and Demolition – Themes in PM Abiy’s AAU Lecture
[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba — When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appeared at Addis Ababa University (AAU) on 02 January 2026, to mark its 75th anniversary, many expected him to reflect on the university’s journey and its contributions to Ethiopian society. As the occasion was the first time Prime Minister Abiy addressed the AAU community, the moment called for more than ceremony. It invited a...
Education
South Africa: Keep Your Teacher, We Don’t Want Her, Parents Tell Education Department
[GroundUp] Parents demand removal of Eastern Cape school principal
Education
When Conservative Politics Hit Cash-Starved Universities
If college education is merely a transaction, educators — and facts — are vulnerable.

Lifestyle
‘Worst of the worst’: Afrikaner ‘alien’ arrested in US
An Afrikaner male was arrested by US ICE agents for being an ‘illegal alien’ and having a string of criminal convictions…

Lifestyle
Snap it, buy it: Recreate a celebrity look with Amazon’s new image feature
South African shoppers can now find products on Amazon purely through visuals, thanks to an image-based shopping tool built into the app.

Lifestyle
Orania: Spike in sale of houses, commercial properties
A spike in properties for sale in Orania – South Africa’s whites-only town – has sparked speculation on social media…

Lifestyle
The votes are in regarding the future of Cape Town’s Miller’s Point
Nearly 500 residents have taken part in the City of Cape Town’s online survey on the future of Miller’s Point.

Entertainment
Repo rate: will the Reserve Bank cut? Or not?
The repo rate is not expected to decrease too often now that the Reserve Bank has decided to anchor inflation at 3%.

Entertainment
Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus results: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
A total of R600 000 in jackpots is up for grabs tonight! Here are your winning Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus results for 28 January 2026.

Entertainment
In case you missed it: MMC’s remains found in Mozambique | JDA CEO under fire | Kaizer Chiefs skincare brand
Catch up on the biggest stories of Wednesday, 28 January 2026 that you may have missed, in our simple daily news update.

Entertainment
KZN Hawks head claims WhatsApp chats with Cat Matlala were ‘fiddled with’
Matlala allegedly sent a confidential document related to President Cyril Ramaphosa to Senona.
Science/Tech
Apple Sued by App Developer Over its Continuity Camera
An anonymous reader shares a report: Apple is being sued by Reincubate, which makes the Camo smartphone webcam app. It has filed a lawsuit against Apple in a U.S. federal court in New Jersey, accusing the company of anticompetitive conduct and patent infringement. The suit alleges that Apple copied Camo’s technology, integrated similar features into iOS, and used control over its software...

Science/Tech
Google’s New Chrome ‘Auto Browse’ Agent Attempts to Roam the Web Without You
Google’s latest addition to its Chrome browser puts generative AI behind the wheel and you in the passenger seat.

Science/Tech
Smart Money’s Silent Pivot: Crypto’s Next Big Move Isn’t a Meme Coin
For years, the dominant mindset among Bitcoin and XRP investors was simple: buy, hold, and wait for the next major market cycle. That approach worked well during periods of rapid expansion. But as markets have matured, and consolidation phases have grown longer, a different behavior is beginning to surface. Rather than waiting indefinitely for price […]

Science/Tech
Iran’s internet is returning – but not for everyone
The country cut off internet access on 8 January following a government crackdown on protesters.

Motoring
The easiest way to renew your driver’s licence in South Africa
The Department of Roads and Transport is making it easier to renew licences in Gauteng.

Motoring
Major warning for Toyota Corolla Cross owners in South Africa
The Toyota Corolla Cross has received a poor rating after being tested for crash safety by Global NCAP.
Motoring
Motoring

Health
AI model from Google’s DeepMind reads recipe for life in DNA
It could transform our understanding of why diseases develop and the medicines needed to treat them, says researchers.

Health
Are there ‘forever chemicals’ in your floor cleaner?
Some floor cleaners contain PFAS – chemicals that never break down. Here’s how to spot them – and what you can use as alternative.

Health
Woman ‘took own life after benefits cut in error’
A coroner wrote to the DWP to express her concerns after the death of Tamara Logan in Tameside.

Health
The clock is ticking for my five-year-old son with dementia
Tammy McDaid describes how she had a panic attack after waking up on Tate’s birthday.