ICE Agents Are ‘Doxing’ Themselves
The alleged risks of being publicly identified have not stopped DHS and ICE employees from creating profiles on LinkedIn, even as Kristi Noem threatens to treat revealing agents’ identities as a crime.
Science/Tech
China Lagging in AI Is a ‘Fairy Tale,’ Mistral CEO Says
Claims that Chinese technology for AI lags the US are a “fairy tale,” Arthur Mensch, the chief executive officer of Mistral, said. From a report: “China is not behind the West,” Mensch said in an interview on Bloomberg Television at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday. The capabilities of China’s open-source technology is “probably stressing the CEOs in the US.” The...
The Drama at Thinking Machines, a New A.I. Start-Up, Is Riveting Silicon Valley
Defections, secret conversations, deal talks that fizzled and a battle for control: The turmoil at Thinking Machines Lab is the artificial intelligence industry’s latest drama.
Top investment manager buying major data centre company in South Africa
Stanlib Asset Management has received Competition Commission approval to acquire one of South Africa’s premier data centre operators.
Autodesk To Cut 1,000 Jobs
Autodesk said today it plans to cut approximately 1,000 jobs, or roughly 7% of its workforce, as part of what the company described as the final phase of a global restructuring effort aimed at strengthening its sales and marketing operations. The maker of AutoCAD and other digital design software said a significant portion of the cuts will fall within customer-facing sales functions.
Read more...
What a Sony and TCL Partnership Means For the Future of TVs
How would Sony ceding control of its TV hardware business change the industry? The Verge has an optimistic take: […] As of today, Sony already relies on different manufacturing partners to create its TV lineup. While display panel manufacturers never reveal who they sell panels to, Sony is likely already using panels for its LCD TVs from TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT), in...
‘Stealing Isn’t Innovation’: Hundreds of Creatives Warn Against an AI Slop Future
Around 800 artists, writers, actors, and musicians signed on to a new campaign against what they call “theft at a grand scale” by AI companies. From a report: The signatories of the campaign — called “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” — include authors George Saunders and Jodi Picoult, actors Cate Blanchett and Scarlett Johansson, and musicians like the band R.E.M., Billy Corgan, and The Roots....
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first smart city is only shacks and open fields
In six years, the only progress made at the site for the ambitious development was the erection of a fence.
Nvidia Allegedly Sought ‘High-Speed Access’ To Pirated Book Library for AI Training
An expanded class-action lawsuit filed last Friday alleges that a member of Nvidia’s data strategy team directly contacted Anna’s Archive — the sprawling shadow library hosting millions of pirated books — to explore “including Anna’s Archive in pre-training data for our LLMs.” Internal documents cited in the amended complaint show Nvidia sought information about “high-speed access” to the...
‘No Reasons To Own’: Software Stocks Sink on Fear of New AI Tool
The new year was supposed to bring opportunities for beaten-down software stocks. Instead, the group is off to its worst start in years. From a report: The release of a new artificial intelligence tool from startup Anthropic on Jan. 12 rekindled fears about disruption that weighed on software makers in 2025. TurboTax owner Intuit tumbled 16% last week, its worst since 2022, while Adobe and...
Best Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories (2026): Controllers, Cases, and More
Looking to jazz up your portable gaming experience? Here are the best accessories we’ve tested for the Nintendo Switch 2.
‘Manosphere’ influencers pushing testosterone tests are convincing healthy young men there is something wrong with them, study finds
Researcher points to ‘medicalisation of masculinity’ after investigating how men’s health is being monetised online
“If you’re not waking up in the morning with a boner, there’s a large possibility that you have low testosterone levels,” an influencer on TikTok with more than 100,000 followers warns his viewers.
Despite screening for low testosterone being medically unwarranted in most young...
Game stores disappearing in South Africa
While Massmart isn’t actively closing Game stores, the retailer has shuttered at least 13 stores in recent years.
The Best Motorola Phones (2026), Tested and Reviewed
Motorola phones may seem old-school, but their reasonable prices, colorful designs, and simple software make them good, wallet-friendly Android smartphones.
South African Cybersecurity Hub only looks abandoned
Until this week, the Cybersecurity Hub, South Africa’s National Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), displayed the emblem of a government department that hasn’t existed for nearly 7 years.
Half of Fossil Fuel Carbon Emissions In 2024 Came From 32 Companies
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Inside Climate News: Just 32 companies accounted for over half of global fossil carbon emissions in 2024, according to a report published Wednesday by the U.K.-based think tank InfluenceMap. That is down from 36 companies responsible for half the global CO2 emissions in 2023, and 38 companies five years ago. The analysis is the latest update to the...
South African telescope solves mystery of ‘doomed’ giant star
Astronomers have solved a cosmic mystery surrounding one of the most extreme stars ever observed.
7 Best Smart Locks (2026) for Front Doors, Side Doors, and Even Garages
Upgrade your locks with fingerprint-scanning or a keypad, whether it’s at the front door or a sliding glass entryway.
Ubisoft cancels six games including Prince of Persia and closes studios
The studio, known for Assassin’s Creed and Just Dance, is also delaying seven titles in a restructure.
Holiday Retail momentum and Business Travel Growth Drive National Economic Activity, Visa Consulting & Analytics Reports
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today released its annual Retail Spend Monitor from Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA), providing a detailed view of South Africa’s 2025/26 holiday retail performance. Preliminary findings show that total holiday retail spend across all payment methods, including cash — grew 7.9% year‑on‑year. This year’s edition features expanded insights, […]
Electric car batteries last longer than most cars in South Africa
A new study of battery degradation on thousands of EVs found that the average passenger model lost just 1.5% of its capacity per year, which means it would still have 80% left after 13 years.