From election support in the Central African Republic to patrols in the disputed Abyei region, UN peacekeepers are operating in increasingly volatile environments – but shrinking resources and new threats, including drone warfare, are testing their ability to keep communities safe. Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, senior Headquarters and field officials warned that peacekeeping…
Snap Inc. has announced a significant workforce reduction, laying off approximately 1,000 employees, which is roughly 16% of its total staff. In a company-wide memo, CEO Evan Spiegel framed the cuts as a move to increase operational velocity by replacing repetitive manual tasks with advanced artificial intelligence. In addition to the layoffs, the company is…
Digital tools are changing the way countries manage everything from tracking refugees to caring for the elderly. But as nations gather at the UN this week to discuss the future of our population growth, two major hurdles are taking centre stage: a lack of funding and a widening gap between those who have access to…
Telecommunications infrastructure theft and power outages continue to hold back connectivity in South Africa, with the cost burden on mobile and fibre operators more than doubling in a year. According to communications regulator Icasa’s latest State of the ICT Sector report, published last week, the rate of telecoms equipment theft grew significantly between 2024 and…
The market is shifting away from isolated point solutions towards converged technology ecosystems. For most of the past decade, enterprise IT strategy followed a simple formula: add another tool. A new platform would solve a vulnerability, another would improve collaboration and a chatbot would enhance engagement. Each new challenge introduced another layer of technology. Individually,…
France cut its contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 58 percent on Thursday, confirming a major reduction in funding that health organisations warn will cost lives. After months of uncertainty, the government said its pledge for the 2026-2028 cycle will fall from €1.6 billion in the previous funding period…
Scale-backs and deep spending cuts within the US government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS are hobbling HIV treatment programs across Africa, including in Ethiopia, warns a new report from a UN health agency. “Before the funding cuts in 2025, Ethiopia was heavily dependent on external funding (mainly from the Global Fund and the…
Amazon announced a second major wave of layoffs on Wednesday, cutting 16,000 positions globally. This latest move brings the total number of corporate roles eliminated in the last three months to approximately 30,000. The restructuring is a response to pandemic-era over-hiring and a strategic shift toward the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence. Read: iCAUR charges…
Amazon said on Wednesday it was cutting 16 000 jobs worldwide in the second major round of layoffs at the company in three months, as it restructures after pandemic-era over-hiring and expands the adoption of AI tools. Reuters reported last week that Amazon was planning a second round of job cuts as part of a…
DStv has lowered the upfront cost of its decoders, added channels to its entry-level package and introduced a new payment-splitting feature as it looks to retain price-sensitive customers in a fiercely competitive market. The changes, announced on Tuesday, come as temporary package upgrades offered over November and December wind down. MultiChoice, now owned by France’s…
