- Topline The “doomsday clock,” a scientist-curated measure of how close human civilization may be to total collapse, ticked one second closer to “midnight” with just 89 seconds to go, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced Tuesday, with artificial intelligence joining the ranks of the most…
- Starting and running a business, successfully, is a high-stakes endeavor and, unfortunately, failure is more common than one would think. However, lessons abound in every sphere, including in the vast landscapes of Africa – the setting for Mufasa: The Lion King. Though fictional, Mufasa offers…
- Topline Here’s everything to know about Chinese AI company called DeepSeek, which topped the app charts and rattled global tech stocks Monday after it notched high performance ratings on par with its top U.S. rivals. Key Facts The DeepSeek startup is less than two years old—it was founded in 2023…
- Figures from UN Tourism’s latest World Tourism Barometer indicate a “virtual recovery of pre-pandemic levels” as the African continent welcomed 7% more arrivals in 2024 than in 2019. United Nations (UN) Tourism estimates that 1.4 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2024, representing an…
- People need to be more vigilant than ever before while interacting and transacting online. As the uptake of the digital sphere continues, so too do the risks, and no one is safe. Namibia’s former First Lady, Monica Geingos says that she has noticed an increase in scammers pretending to be her. The…
- The trailblazers on the first-ever 50 Over 50 Global list work across 32 countries and territories and are shaping everything from cybersecurity to science and even traffic safety. In building behemoth shipping companies, innovative biotech businesses and venture capital firms, these women are…
- Nigerian Ndubuisi Egbo is little known on his own continent even though he played professionally in both Egypt and South Africa and kept goal for the Super Eagles. His playing career ended in Albania, a most unlikely destination for an African footballer but a country where he has gone on to write…
- Topline Meta will rapidly ramp up its spending in 2025 as part of its artificial intelligence push, according to its centibillionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Friday, as the battle between Meta and its generative AI competitors including OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI comes to the forefront this…
- South African film The Last Ranger had made it to the shortlist of the 97th Academy Awards announced yesterday. Directed by Cindy Lee, it has earned a nomination in the Best Live Action Short Film category. The 28-minute IsiXhosa film is about rhino poaching in a game reserve in South Africa’s…
- Topline OpenAI unveiled its latest artificial intelligence tool Thursday, announcing the release of “Operator,” an assistant designed to carry out a wide variety of web tasks that will first be made available for ChatGPT Pro users. Key Facts OpenAI described Operator as “an agent that can go to the…
- Africa’s next wave of innovation will likely emerge not from Lagos or Nairobi but from Kigali, Dakar, or Tunis — offering global investors the chance to discover untapped potential in the continent’s diverse and rapidly-evolving markets. Late last year, Penelope Terranova posted a call to action on…
- As South Africa navigates its first full year under a Government of National Unity, cautious optimism about economic reforms has been tempered by systemic challenges. Can this political arrangement deliver the stability and policy coherence necessary for meaningful growth? South Africa–the…
- Topline Netflix announced it would be adjusting its pricing for most plans in the United States, Canada, Portugal and Argentina on Tuesday—news that came as the streaming service announced it added almost 19 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter. Key Facts Netflix confirmed it would be “…
- South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport grapples with a severe jet fuel shortage following a refinery fire, and rushes to prevent February flight disruptions amidst mounting supply chain vulnerabilities. A reported fire at the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery on…
- Following the presidential inauguration of newly-elected Donald Trump in the United States yesterday, SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago told media in Davos today that the measures that Trump plans to take could lead to the “fragmentation of the global economy”. “[This] could spur other countries to…
- Standfirst: Africa will be the stage for FIFA World Cup matches for only the second time in the 100-year history of football’s greatest show when Morocco co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal. It follows South Africa’s successful tournament in 2010, when the frowns of a doubting…
- Topline Big-name billionaires worth a collective $1.2 trillion—including four of the five richest men in the world—attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump Monday morning as many looked to strengthen their relationship with the pro-business president as he takes office. (Follow here for…
- AI on smartphones is redefining how we interact with technology, from quicker search with voice to smarter photo edits and predicting daily needs before we realize them. Plus, with AI’s pattern-learning, a more personalized user experience. Samsung first introduced AI to the smartphone with the S24…
- Topline TikTok said Sunday it was “restoring service” to U.S. users, about 14 hours after it abruptly shut itself down minutes before a nationwide ban took effect—a move prompted by President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to halt the ban when he takes office Monday by extending a deadline for China-…
- Plus: Booking Holdings’ CEO On Adding AI, Biden Ends With Mostly Good Economic Growth (And One Big Exception), Meta Reorients Policy Before Trump Takes Office, Activist Investors Had A Huge 2024 This is the published version of Forbes’ CEO newsletter, which offers the latest news for today’s and…
- It’s never happened in the history of football, that a nation with less than one million people qualifies for the World Cup, buy maybe this Comoros Islands coach can make it happen. Italian coach Stefano Cusin started his adventures in African football with the tough assignment of trying to improve…
- Generative AI has revolutionized content creation, from narratives to images. Central to many of these models is maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), which allows systems to learn from large datasets by finding patterns that maximize the probability of producing outputs that resemble the data.…
- Topline The cancer burden in the United States is shifting towards women and younger people, a new American Cancer Society study released Thursday shows, with disease rates in one group—women aged 50 to 64—surpassing those of men for the first time. Key Facts Cancer rates in women under 50 have…
- As FRELIMO’s candidate takes office under tight security and allegations of electoral fraud, opposition boycotts, youth-led protests, and mounting socioeconomic pressures reflect a nation at a crossroads. Yesterday’s inauguration ceremony in Maputo marked a pivotal moment in Mozambique’s fraught…
- Sudan’s economy has faced significant challenges, including a severe cash shortage and soaring prices for commodities. “This resulted in the spread of large quantities of banknotes of unknown origin and not conforming to technical specifications in the SDG1,000 and SDG500 denominations, which has…
- Ads for apps that use AI to create fake videos of people kissing anyone they want are flooding social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Meta and TikTok have run thousands of ads for apps that use AI to generate fake kissing videos of people, allowing users to upload photos of any two…
- Cyber security is what nations and organizations need to be very wary of in 2025. According to the recent World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Outlook, the intricacies of cyberspace are complex and challenging, owing to rapid technological advancements, the growing sophistication of…
- In August 2024, the United States (U.S.) hiked tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to 100% while the European Union (E.U.) increased tariffs by up to 45.3% in October 2024. The EU’s tariffs differ by manufacturer between 7.8% to 35.3%, over its standard 10% import duty. Futurist and business…
- Topline Four disastrous wildfires were still burning across Los Angeles and Ventura counties in southern California on Tuesday, but it’s not yet clear what started the fires—as government officials, lawyers and experts weigh theories like electrical issues, embers from older fires and arson. Key…
- The railway project is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which Nigeria joined in 2018. “This railway will also promote the development of related industries along the route. The construction and operation of the project will create numerous job opportunities in Nigeria,” the bank said. The…
- Topline An early social media influencer, her fake cancer diagnosis and the untangling of a complicated web of lies will play out in the Netflix original series “Apple Cider Vinegar,” a drama inspired by the real-life story of wellness guru Belle Gibson and the lies that skyrocketed her to fame in…
- Our tech writer got to experience the new electric Mini Cooper SE that’s coming your way. The highly-anticipated next-generation electric Mini Cooper SE arrived in South Africa six months later than originally planned, and quietly went on sale without a national media launch. As it stands, Mini…
- The 44-year-old legislator is the new political head of the parliament inaugurated on October 2, 1979. “I affirm that I will be faithful as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly; that I will perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability, faithfully, and in accordance with the…
- How a women’s initiative is collectively uplifting lives through art and community-based tourism. From the street art to its bustling markets, the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre in the lively and vibrant neighborhood of Nyamirambo in Kigali, is a tourism drawcard. In one of the busy shops owned by the…
- The Amazon billionaire’s heavy-lift rocket is poised for its first spaceflight. If it succeeds, it will give satellite operators and the Pentagon a long-desired alternative to SpaceX—and at a cheaper price, Forbes reveals. In2021, Elon Musk trolled Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, mocking his rival’s slow…
- Anthony Joshua is targeting a showdown with Tyson Fury in 2025, but the two-time heavyweight champion isn’t just focused on reclaiming the world title — he’s also investing in Nigeria’s future. British-Nigerian boxing star Anthony Joshua recently expressed his determination to reclaim the world…
- Finishing school, possibly earning a degree, staying with one employer, and steadily climb- ing the corporate ladder once defined the path to career success. Today, those conventions are vanishing as quickly as metal filing cabinets in a paperless office. The modern workforce is navigating a new…
- The exchange’s ownership structure mandates that up to 25% of the shares be held publicly, while the remaining 75% is reserved for private investors. Ethiopia made history on Friday with the launch of its first securities exchange in over five decades. The Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX)…
- In this week’s edition of The Prototype, we look at how too much reliance on AI assistants could make it harder to think, a company building bioengineered arteries, the role viruses play in Alzheimer’s and more. You can sign up to get The Prototype in your inbox here. New AI tools are slowly…
- The West African sub-region, including countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Nigeria, continues to grapple with insecurity and violence fueled by terrorist attacks. Al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the late Wednesday carnage in…
- South Africa boasts a rich potential of sprint stars. Akani Simbine’s coach Werner Prinsloo weighs in on what’s needed to give the world a run for its money. South Africa has a new wave of exciting young sprinters to add to the established talent of Akani Simbine, which led to a surprise silver…
- Topline The Supreme Court’s signaling it may uphold a ban on TikTok, the wildly popular shortform video social media app, sent shockwaves through the stock market Friday, boosting shares of companies behind rival platforms and hitting hard one key TikTok partner. Key Facts The Supreme Court heard…
- CES Las Vegas kicked off this week with a keynote from Nvidia, the second-most valuable company after Apple, with AI-powered innovations for gaming, robotics, autonomous vehicles, agentic AI, and its first desktop computer. Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang said AI is advancing at an incredible…
- South African Kwaito musician, Victor Bogopane, popularly known as Doc Shebeleza, passed away on Thursday morning. According to reports, the S’kumfete artist died at home. https://twitter.com/tsheko2020/status/1877302658731577383 There is no confirmation as to the cause of the death but family…
- The attackers, described by Chad’s foreign minister as disorganized, were subsequently neutralized by the presidential guard of the Sahelian and landlocked country in Central Africa, facing security challenges related to conflicts in neighboring countries. In a Wednesday evening attack on Chad’s…
- Scott Belsky Says AI Is Collapsing Boundaries Between Traditional Business Functions And Putting More Creative Ability Within Anyone’s Reach. Tell me a bit about your role at Adobe. Belsky: My responsibility is overseeing our emerging product groups. These are the groups that include 3D &…
- A recent global report by Inrix, which specializes in transportation analytics, highlighted that in 2024, residents of Cape Town in South Africa spent the most time on congested roads, with an average of 94 hours lost in traffic. The city ranked ninth in the world. Istanbul in Turkey was the worst…
- Government Statistician Samuel Kobina Annim, while addressing the media in Ghana’s capital Accra today, attributed the increase to skyrocketing food prices. Ghana’s annual inflation rate has surged to its highest level in eight months, reaching 23.8% in December. This marks the fourth consecutive…
- Nasdaq and JSE-Listed Karooooo has set its sights on innovation and expansion, headquartered in Singapore and with operations in about 23 countries and over 2.13 million subscribers. The tech tycoon behind it, ZAK CALISTO, accelerated to ai over a decade ago long before the rest of us. Ask Karooooo…
- Liz Sanya’s motivation for this latest attempt was inspired by the recent achievements of Nigerians who have broken various world records, including Hilda Baci’s longest cooking marathon and Tunde Onakoya’s longest chess marathon. Twentytwo-year-old Nigerian-British fashion designer Elizabeth…
