The author, Prof Etienne Barnard In September, an Anthropic researcher resigned with a warning that the people building powerful AI “earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade”. Days later, King Charles, opening his AI summit in Scotland, spoke of “existential dangers” and of technologies that risk developing “darker…
Impersonating a police official is a criminal offence, even online. (Image source: iStock) The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State has cautioned the public to refrain from using artificial intelligence (AI) to create and share photographs of themselves masquerading as police officers. The provincial police service says some members of the public…
Port Sudan/Nairobi/Geneva, 13 April 2026 — The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that shifting patterns of displacement and return in Sudan create rapidly evolving humanitarian needs across the country. Three years into the conflict, millions of people are now both fleeing violence and many are returning to devastated communities….
Abuja — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has raised fresh concerns over the escalating hostilities in the Gulf region, cautioning that a prolonged conflict could unleash severe economic and security repercussions far beyond the Middle East, with Africa among the hardest hit. In a statement issued under the chairmanship of Julius Maada…
TUT has warned of a spike in fraud and scam attempts targeting students and parents. As thousands of newly-qualified matriculants begin navigating university applications and registration process, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) has raised the alarm over a sharp increase in fraud and scam activity aimed at exploiting students. TUT says the January to…
Pressure on freshwater resources is growing as demand increases in regions marked by scarcity, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report published on Friday. It provides an update on renewable water availability, which refers to the amount of freshwater that is replenished each year in rivers and aquifers through precipitation. Renewable…
The deadly legacy of conflicts old and new – from Gaza to Sudan and beyond – continues to kill and maim civilians on a near-daily basis, mine action workers said on Wednesday, as they appealed for greater support for their lifesaving work in the face of deep funding cuts. Speaking on the sidelines of a…
Tuberculosis (TB) is once again in the global spotlight as the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that years of progress in fighting the deadly disease could be undone by severe funding shortfalls and unequal access to care. In its Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 released today, WHO reveals that TB continues to kill over 1.2 million…
Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters The US government’s cyberdefence agency has issued urgent guidance to other federal agencies over hackers exploiting a previously unknown vulnerability in Cisco security devices. In an emergency directive issued on Thursday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said government cyber workers had just over one day to account for all such devices plugged…
More than a billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday. Disorders such as anxiety and depression are exacting a heavy toll on individuals, families and economies, yet most countries are failing to provide adequate support. Mental health problems are widespread…
