Nkosana Makate.
Image: Timothy Bernard
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US to allow Nvidia H200 chip shipments to China
The United States will allow Nvidia's H200 processors, its second-best artificial intelligence chips, to be exported to China and collect a 25% fee on such sales, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday. The decision appears to settle a U.S. debate about whether Nvidia and rivals should maintain their global lead in AI chips by selling to China or withhold the exports, though Beijing has told companies not to use U.S. technology, leaving it unclear whether Trump's decision would lead to new sales. Nvidia shares rose 2% in after-hours trading after Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, following a 3% rise during the day on a report by Semafor.
Australia's social media ban set to take effect, sparking a global crackdown
Australia is set to become the first country to implement a minimum age for social media use on Wednesday, with platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube forced to block more than a million accounts, marking the beginning of an expected global wave of regulation. From midnight, 10 of the biggest platforms will be required to block Australians aged under 16 or be fined up to $33 million. The law received harsh criticism from major technology companies and free speech advocates, but was praised by parents and child advocates. Governments from Denmark to Malaysia - and even some states in the U.S., where platforms are rolling back trust and safety features - say they plan similar steps, four years after a leak of internal Meta documents showed the company knew its products contributed to body image problems and suicidal thoughts among teenagers while publicly denying the link existed.
Bitcoin's 2025 rollercoaster may end on a low note
With a series of record highs and crushing sell-offs, 2025 has been a rollercoaster ride for bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency, which is at risk of ending the year with its first annual decline since 2022. The world's main stock benchmarks have also had a turbulent year, repeatedly hitting record peaks and then pulling back as worries over tariffs, interest rates and a possible AI bubble whipsawed markets. While equities are mostly up year-to-date, bitcoin's overall correlation with share prices has strengthened markedly this year. Analysts say bitcoin's gyrations increasingly tracked stock market sentiment as traditional retail and institutional investors jumped into cryptocurrencies, which next year may be even more closely tethered to factors driving stocks and other risk assets, such as monetary policy shifts and nervousness over the lofty valuations of AI-related stocks. Bitcoin was hovering around $89,000 on Monday.
Another major win for Please Call Me inventor Makate
The Johannesburg High Court has thrown out a bid by former funder Errol Elsdon to ringfence 40% of “Please Call Me” originator Nkosana Kenneth Makate’s payout from Vodacom. Black Rock Mining, represented by former backer Errol Elsdon and tied to a 2011 litigation-funding agreement, asked the Johannesburg High Court to block 40% of Makate’s settlement money from Vodacom. They argued that Makate might “dissipate, transfer or distribute” the funds, so they should first be held in trust. On 8 December 2025, Acting Judge Don Mahon dismissed the interdict application. He found there was no evidence of likely dissipation or irreparable harm, only a financial claim that could be handled in ordinary proceedings. The court deemed it unnecessary to freeze the funds. The request did not meet requirements for urgency or interim relief. Consequently, Makate can receive his payment without the 40% being held back — at least for now. The judge also ordered that Elsdon pay Makate’s legal costs.