Amazon has officially launched the Bee Frontier, a wrist-worn AI assistant with always-on listening capabilities designed to automatically track meeting notes, daily tasks, and casual reminders.

Musk revealed his new Roadster sports car during a launch event at a SpaceX test facility in Texas.

The 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations will continue next week, with matric pupils set to write language papers, accounting and mathematics from Monday, 19 October, to Friday, 23 October. According to the October/November 2026 NSC examination timetable, pupils will sit for examinations at 9am and 2pm. The time will depend on the subject. The week will begin with African language paper 3 before moving to Afrikaans, history, information technology, accounting and mathematics. Language papers dominate the start of the week On Monday, 19 October, pupils will write isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele home language (HL), first additional language (FAL) and second additional language (SAL) paper 3 at 9am. At 2pm, pupils will write agricultural sciences paper 1, which is scheduled for two and a half hours. On Tuesday, 20 October, Afrikaans HL, FAL and SAL paper 3 will take place at 9am. History paper 1 and maritime economics will follow at 2pm. Wednesday, 21 October, will see pupils writing Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga and Tshivenda HL, FAL and SAL paper 3 at 9am. South African sign language HL paper 3 is also scheduled for the morning session. Information technology paper 2 theory will take place at 2pm and is scheduled for three hours. Accounting and maths on the timetable Accounting paper 1 is scheduled for Thursday, 22 October, at 9am, with pupils given two hours to complete the examination. Engineering graphics and design paper 1, scheduled for three hours, and marine sciences paper 1, scheduled for two and a half hours, will take place at 2pm. Friday, 23 October, will see pupils tackle mathematics paper 1, mathematical literacy paper 1 and technical mathematics paper 1 at 9am. All three examinations are scheduled for three hours. The afternoon session will include Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu HL and FAL paper 3. Portuguese and German HL and FAL paper 3 are also scheduled for the afternoon. These language examinations are scheduled for two and a half hours. What pupils should remember The timetable lists examinations according to their starting times and subjects. Morning papers begin at 9am and afternoon papers at 2pm. Pupils should consult the official timetable to confirm the examination applicable to their subject and language level.

A North West businessman arrested at OR Tambo International Airport, allegedly travelling to the UAE with his family, became “very evasive”, and investigators are seeking him for allegedly failing to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The official, who has not been identified, was handcuffed at the airport on Thursday night, 16 October 2026, just moments before he was set to board an international flight. Suliman Carrim? Media reports claimed the man was North West businessman and former ANC North West Regional Treasurer Suliman Carrim, but police did not confirm this, only saying that the man was meant to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The 49-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday after members of the Saps Commission Recommendations Task Team and the police’s cold case unit dramatically arrested him overnight. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said investigators were alerted when the businessman was flagged at the airport while attempting to leave South Africa. “We can confirm that we arrested a 49-year-old suspect last night at OR Tambo International Airport. He was flagged by our cold case unit on charges of fraud and corruption that are under investigation and relate to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West Province,” said Mathe. Police said the arrest stemmed from the suspect’s alleged failure to return to the Madlanga commission after he had previously appeared before the inquiry and was requested to provide additional documentation. “When he was required to appear again and to provide further documentation, he failed to provide valid reasons as to why he could not appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry,” Mathe said. Criminal case The commission’s secretary later opened a criminal case, which the Commission Recommendations Task Team registered and investigated. Mathe stressed that the Madlanga commission has the authority of a court and that witnesses summoned before it must cooperate. “The team has been looking for this particular suspect. He’s been very evasive, and we all know that if you are subpoenaed and expected to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, it operates like a court, and you can be held in contempt of court,” she said. Fleeing SA? While reports circulated that the businessman may have been attempting to flee the country, Mathe said investigators had not established evidence to support that claim. “At this stage, we do not have such information and evidence. What we do know is that he had a return ticket. He was flying out of the country with his family,” she said. Police confirmed the arrest was executed because of the outstanding investigation linked to his failure to appear before the commission. “The broader goal is to ensure that those who have been mentioned at the Madlanga commission, and those who have been subpoenaed, do present themselves to the commission to answer to all that they’re facing,” Mathe said. Sources said the businessman was travelling to the United Arab Emirates with his wife and family when police intercepted him. Fraud Mathe also revealed that the businessman is under investigation in a separate fraud and corruption probe linked to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in North West. “In the case of the cold case unit, we know that the matter is at an advanced stage. The team has been seized with this particular investigation from last year,” she said. Because the investigation remains active, Mathe said police would not disclose additional details. “The matter is quite sensitive and is still under investigation, and we will not divulge any further details.” Identity The Saps spokesperson further explained why police had initially declined to publicly identify the businessman. “He hasn’t appeared in court. If a suspect has not formally appeared before court, he cannot be named. He will be named after he has appeared before the magistrate and has been formally charged,” Mathe said.

Cape Town is preparing for a busy weekend, with around 100 000 people expected to attend events across the city as rain threatens to disrupt outdoor plans. The City of Cape Town has approved 20 events from Friday to Sunday including rugby, football and a major marathon. What does the weather forecast say? The latest forecast points to a cool and wet weekend, with Saturday temperatures expected to reach 17 degrees Celsius. Rain is more likely during Saturday morning, followed by cloudy conditions in the afternoon. Sunday could bring further showers, with temperatures reaching around 16 degrees Celsius. Although the forecast suggests rain, conditions may change throughout the weekend. Cape Town could experience a cool and wet weekend, with a 60% chance of rain and 3mm of rainfall forecast. Rugby and football take centre stage The DHL Stormers will face Bristol Bears at DHL Stadium on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 16:15. Meanwhile, Athlone Stadium will host the SAFA Cape Town Coca-Cola Amateur Cup finals, with matches starting at 13:00. Around 30 000 runners are expected to take part in the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon on Sunday. The event includes 42km, 21km, 10km and 5km races, with routes passing through several parts of Cape Town. Morning showers could affect runners, particularly those taking part in the earlier races. Road closures expected The City has warned motorists to expect road closures and traffic disruptions around several event venues. Road restrictions will affect parts of the DHL Stadium precinct on Saturday, while Sunday’s marathon will disrupt traffic along sections of the city centre, Green Point and Milnerton. Motorists should allow extra travelling time, check road closures and consider public transport where possible. Residents and visitors should also follow the latest weather updates before heading outdoors. Are you attending any events in Cape Town this weekend?

South Africa’s small towns have an unforgettable warmth and charm. But in multiple Klein Karoo towns, the scourge of drugs has taken over, deteriorating that welcoming essence. The rise in drugs also means a rise in crime. Drugs ruin the charm of South Africa’s small towns Crime in Dysselsdorp, a predominantly Afrikaans town nestled in the Kammanassie mountains, peaked in 2025. The town recorded the most crimes since the South African Police Service (SAPS) started publishing statistics in 2013. Dysselsdorp is a farming community of 18 839 people, stretching 351 square kilometres. Between Outdshoorn and De Rust, the town’s slower pace is slowly being overtaken by drugs. In the year ending March 2026, Dysselsdorp recorded 124 more drug-related crimes than the year before. Drug-related crimes were also the most reported crime in the area. They were reported 3 times as often as common assault, which took second place. Naturally, as drug-related crime spiked, so did many other crimes. Residential and business burglary, theft, and assault all increased. In the first quarter (April to June 2026), things have not improved. Instead, the crime data suggests Dysselsdorp could be on track for a record-breaking year. Crime is up 28.1% in the first quarter of 2026, compared to the first quarter of 2025. Drug-related crime is up 65.8% in the first quarter, and again it takes the top spot as the most reported crime in Dysselsdorp. Now it is nearly four times as high as theft, the next most frequently reported crime. Drugs Spreading Across the Klein Karoo In neighbouring De Rust, things are not any better. In one year, drug-related crime increased 190% in the area. Residential burglary, stock theft, and business burglary also increased. In the first quarter, drug crimes nearly doubled. In Ladismith, a tourism hotspot in the Klein Karoo, drug crime is up 12.9% in the first quarter. Uniondale and Calitzdorp have also encountered a rise in drug-related crime. Drug Trail to the Klein Karoo This region has no major airports or ports. The Klein Karoo isn’t on any major drug trafficking routes. Therefore, the region should be, by all intents and purposes, sheltered from the kind of drug-related crime that has overtaken parts of Cape Town and the Cape Winelands. But drugs enter these small and rural towns through two methods: Home-based manufacturing of drugs like crystal meth (Tik) and a heroin and dagga mix (Nyaope/Whoonga). Drug networks seeking safety from drug enforcement on major trafficking routes by setting up shop in smaller towns to avoid detection. Dysselsdorp is 24 kilometres from Oudtshoorn and about a 90-minute drive from the small Mossel Bay harbour that is developing into a drug-trafficking route.

Amid sweeping layoffs, Netflix has replaced the content chief whose tenure included Squid Game and Bridgerton.

The shares and the purchase price paid to Kenya's government will stay where they are until a fast-tracked appeal is heard.