NEWS ANALYSIS

LONDON | Xinhua |  The British government last week unveiled one of the most sweeping overhauls of immigration policy in decades, in a move analysts believe was driven by the significant gains made by the right-wing Reform UK party in recent local elections. The Labour government’s Immigration White Paper, released …

GUANGZHOU | Xinhua |  In a junior high school classroom in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a 14-year-old student surnamed Geng deftly adjusted the parameters of a neural network model, having previously used his AI-powered “study buddy” to refine the narrative flow of his essay. In this classroom, students …

The surprising election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, is probably a sign that his predecessor’s spirit will prevail ANALYSIS | IAN BURUMA |  Some popes fit their times to perfection. Pope John XXIII was a progressive pope whose Vatican II reforms occurred just as The Beatles were …

Africa’s fintech sector is seeing a surge in deal-making as firms race to dominate the continent’s booming cash transfer and digital payments market, projected to hit US$1.5 trillion by 2030 SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Fierce competition in Africa’s digital and cross-border payment sector is fuelling a wave of …

Not all truth should be out there, warns Media Council boss ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE |  Images of an armoured personnel carrier (Mamba), a war machine, parked at a polling station during the most recent Kawempe North by-election and the beating up of journalists by soldiers of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task …

  Why does Museveni want this law badly? COVER STORY | THE INDEPENDENT | Three months after the Uganda Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for the General Court Martial to try civilians, the government on May 14 introduced a Bill in parliament to reverse that decision. The Minister …

A wave of new exploration and production across Africa is reshaping the continent’s energy future, as newcomers like Sierra Leone, the DRC, and Namibia unveil ambitious plans – with new operational models- to join the oil-producing ranks. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Africa’s emerging oil producing countries are ramping …

A recent report shows Africa alone accounted for 70% of global mobile money transactions, making it the undisputed global leader in mobile-led financial inclusion. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Africa is shifting from cash handling in business to digital finance—an upgrade in the quest for financial inclusion, with mobile …

GOMA, DR Congo | Xinhua | In Goma, a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where war has redrawn borders and scattered families, a hospital has emerged as a beacon of resilience amid the ruins. Now under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, …

CAIRO | Xinhua | U.S. President Donald Trump departed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday afternoon, concluding a lucrative four-day Gulf tour, which had also taken him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Despite expectations that Trump’s visit could help calm the conflict in Gaza and ease regional tensions, the …