African leaders convened for a summit in early February 2026, placing water at the center of their agenda as the continent faced escalating climate shocks, according to Al Jazeera. Simultaneously, middle-class Americans were warned by Goldman Sachs that they would likely face higher electricity bills and increased costs for food, transportation, and clothing due to the data center and AI boom.
The African Union's focus on water came as the continent experienced a series of water-linked climate shocks, including deadly cyclones in Madagascar, surging waterborne diseases in Mozambique, and drought along the Kenya-Somalia border, Al Jazeera reported. The summit aimed to address these challenges.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the expansion of data centers to support the AI race was predicted to drive up consumer electricity inflation by 6% from 2026 to 2027, before decelerating to 3% the following year, according to Goldman Sachs analysts Manuel Abecasis and Hongcen Wei, as reported by Fortune. This would put financial strain on already cash-strapped Americans. Data-center deals had already surpassed $61 billion in 2025, Fortune noted.
In other news, a U.S. proposal obtained by NPR outlined plans for post-war Gaza, recommending the immediate establishment of Palestinian and international security forces to prevent further conflict. The memo, titled "Gaza Exit Strategy and the Morning After," was drafted by U.S. security officials in Jerusalem just three weeks after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, NPR Politics reported.
While these major events unfolded, the allure of weatherproof shoes for runners was being considered, Wired reported. Waterproofing technology was evolving, but the trade-offs of comfort and breathability remained a factor for many runners.
Finally, the myth of high-tech heists was explored by MIT Technology Review, which noted that the main barrier to entry for criminals was often a literal one, such as a physical barrier. Technical countermeasures and high-tech gadgets were rarely the primary challenges in major crimes.
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