Skip to Content

TUESDAY, 20 JANUARY 2026, 21:47

Top Stories

Looming water supply ‘bankruptcy’ puts billions at risk, UN report warns

Today at 21:24 PM, via Daily Maverick

Jan 20 (Reuters) – The world is facing irreversible water “bankruptcy”, with billions of people struggling to cope with the consequences of decades of overuse as well as shrinking supplies from lakes, rivers, glaciers and wetlands, U.N. researchers said on Tuesday.

Top Stories

Europe’s leaders stand firm in Davos as CEOs warn on emotions

Today at 21:08 PM, via Daily Maverick

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) – European leaders, rattled by Donald Trump’s latest global gambit, are looking to present a united front in Davos, as CEOs warned against an emotional response to the U.S. president’s ambition to take over Greenland.

South Africa

South African Startup Launches AI Platform to Improve Road Safety, Fleet Efficiency

Today at 20:24 PM, via iAfrica

A newly established South African startup has launched an artificial intelligence platform aimed at reshaping transportation and mobility across Africa, targeting infrastructure and safety challenges that often limit growth in emerging markets. Founded in late 2025, the company is developing digital tools designed to reduce vehicle breakdowns and road accidents in fast-growing urban areas....

South Africa

UNESCO, World Bank Urge African Policymakers to Prioritize Sustainable AI

Today at 20:22 PM, via iAfrica

UNESCO and the World Bank convened senior information and communication technology policymakers from across Africa to examine technical and policy approaches for building more resource-efficient and sustainable artificial intelligence systems. The workshop, held Nov. 11 in Conakry, Guinea, brought together policymakers, regulators and industry leaders alongside experts from UNESCO and the World...

South Africa

“Small AI” Is Driving Africa’s Next Wave of Adoption

Today at 20:20 PM, via iAfrica

Across Africa, artificial intelligence is increasingly being shaped not by billion-dollar data centers or massive compute budgets, but by the rise of “Small AI” — lightweight, mobile-friendly tools designed for affordability, accessibility and real-world use. This shift is helping African countries overcome longstanding barriers such as limited infrastructure, uneven connectivity and...

South Africa

AI Literacy Is Becoming a Baseline Skill in South Africa’s 2026 Job Market

Today at 20:18 PM, via iAfrica

South Africa’s job market is shifting as artificial intelligence literacy becomes an expected workplace skill, even in roles not traditionally linked to technology. Rather than focusing on coding or specialist technical expertise, the change is centered on the ability to work alongside AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making and output. In 2026, that capability is […]

Sport

Kaizer Chiefs DDC announce Manyana signing

Today at 19:33 PM, via The South African

Kaizer Chiefs’ DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) have signed a new midfielder. The name is Xhosa Manyana from Cape Town City FC.

Education

‘Just not monetizable’: humanities programs face existential crisis at US universities

Today at 14:00 PM, via The Guardian

Fears over the future of humanities spread amid layoffs and restructurings at scores of public and private universities

Last month, students at Montclair State University in New Jersey held a mock funeral outside the university’s college of humanities and social sciences building. Carrying bouquets of flowers, they stood by a tombstone inscribed with the names of the school’s 15...

Entertainment

24 hours in pictures, 20 January 2026

Today at 20:46 PM, via The Citizen

Through the lens: The Citizen’s Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world.

Science/Tech

AI Agents ‘Perilous’ for Secure Apps Such as Signal, Whittaker Says

Today at 21:22 PM, via Slashdot

Signal Foundation president Meredith Whittaker warned that AI agents that autonomously carry out tasks pose a threat to encrypted messaging apps [non-paywalled source] because they require broad access to data stored across a device and can be hijacked if given root permissions. Speaking at Davos on Tuesday, Whittaker said the deeper integration of AI agents into devices is “pretty perilous”...

Science/Tech

Palantir CEO Says AI To Make Large-Scale Immigration Obsolete

Today at 20:35 PM, via Slashdot

AI will displace so many jobs that it will eliminate the need for mass immigration, according to Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Bloomberg: “There will be more than enough jobs for the citizens of your nation, especially those with vocational training,” said Karp, speaking at a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. “I do think these trends really do make it hard to imagine why we...

Science/Tech

Rhino Investments Group Acquires Grocery Anchored Retail Center in Oxnard, California

Today at 20:18 PM, via Tech Financials

Rhino Investments Group, a commercial real estate investment firm specializing in value-add and necessity-based retail assets, announced today the acquisition of Pleasant Valley Plaza, a grocery-anchored neighborhood shopping center located in Oxnard, California. The acquisition closed on December 30, 2025. Pleasant Valley Plaza is an approximately 81,128-square-foot retail center situated on...