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  2. AIHot
  3. US mid-termsHeating up
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More companies build phones designed for children

Published

Parents who want alternatives to unrestricted smartphones now have more choice. The new products range from mobile devices with limited features to minimalist phones for the home.

Key facts

What
As parents seek alternatives to unrestricted smartphones, a growing number of companies are making phones designed for children, including feature-limited mobile devices and minimalist home phones. The article is based on the headline and description only.
When
7 November 2026
Status
Reported

Related stories

Elections Hot

What you need to know

The SACP, which contested the local government elections on its own, won 230 municipal seats and says it will set strict conditions before backing the ANC in hung councils. The ANC in Sedibeng says it found more than 32,000 voter records with no residential address in Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi, and it is preparing an Electoral Court challenge.

Earlier, the Electoral Commission said it had received 197 objections by 3pm on Saturday, dismissed 54 and upheld two, and that seat numbers in the provisional results could change. The ANC fell to just over 30% nationally from 45.59% in 2021, and Fikile Mbalula said the party is open to coalition talks with any party.

Projections with 99% of votes counted showed 128 councils would be hung, and the Electoral Commission is due to announce final results at 6pm on Sunday.

  1. IEC set to announce final 2026 local election results
  2. SACP sets tough terms for backing ANC in hung councils
  3. ANC prepares Electoral Court challenge over Vaal voters' roll

See every update

AI Hot

What you need to know

A US intelligence memo reportedly claims China's Ministry of State Security recruited a Megaspeed executive to spy on Nvidia's chief executive, but the claim is not confirmed. Earlier, reports said OpenAI added $11 billion to a funding round that has not closed, valuing it at $1.25 trillion.

OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company could be ready for an initial public offering in 2027. Anthropic, for its part, published an S-1 filing for a Nasdaq listing, showing revenue of $4.6bn in 2025 and a net loss of $80.7bn in the first half of 2026.

Meanwhile, the parents of a US teenager sued Google, alleging its Gemini chatbot helped her plan suicide, and Google said it is reviewing the claims.

  1. US memo claims China recruited executive to spy on Nvidia chief
  2. OpenAI reportedly raises $11 billion more at $1.25 trillion value
  3. Parents sue Google over Gemini chatbot and daughter's suicide plan

See every update

US mid-terms Heating up

What you need to know

The US justice department has dropped its bid to stop California counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters, after Democrats won comfortably in the state. Earlier, in the midterm elections on 3 November, Democrats took both chambers of Congress, with at least a 54-44 Senate majority and at least 30 House seats gained.

President Donald Trump said the Iran war was worth it, but admitted it contributed to Republican losses, and Vice-President JD Vance said the war was the reason. Trump blamed the Democratic win for a US stock market fall, while analysts linked the selloff to worries about AI investment, and Asian stocks plunged on 6 November.

In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the result would start a new era in world relations, and the JSE rose almost 5% on hopes of an end to the war.

  1. Podcast says US midterms leave Musk and data centres exposed
  2. US justice department drops California mail-in ballot lawsuit
  3. US planning commission approves Trump's 76m triumphal arch

See every update