Author: damazah@gmail.com

The future of payments might be closer than we think. Ten years ago, opening a bank account on your phone, getting instant payments, or buying goods without cash in remote areas seemed out of reach. Now these are everyday experiences for millions of Africans. What comes next could be even more transformative. We are moving into a time when payments will become less visible, not because they matter less but because they will be woven more deeply into our daily lives, work, and business. Soon payments will go beyond simple transactions and act as a hidden link between commerce, technology,…

The sell-off in AI stocks has intensified, driving South Korea’s stock market down to its lowest level in three months.Investors continued to ditch chip stocks on Tuesday, amid rising concerns about the huge amount of borrowing among AI companies to fund their datacentre expansion plans.The South Korean semiconductor companies SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics fell by more than 10%, dragging the country’s Kospi share index down by 11.5% to its lowest point since mid-April.US chip stocks extended their recent losses when Wall Street opened on Tuesday, with Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Sandisk, Western Digital Corp and Seagate Technology all down…

Lucy Powell has said she wants to make sure the student loans system is “fair” and that the issue is at the top of her in-tray as the new education secretary.Labour’s deputy leader told the BBC she stood by comments she made in February that the interest rates graduates with Plan 2 loans were paying were “egregious”.She said she was committed to looking at the issue, although acknowledged she “can’t make any promises” about changes.Plan 2 loans were taken out by students in England between September 2012 and July 2023, and are still issued in Wales. Graduates pay back what…

A major Atlantic Ocean current is slowing, and the consequences could reach far beyond the Atlantic. New research from the University of California, Riverside suggests the change could strengthen powerful storms along the California coast while reducing snowfall over Greenland. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is a vast system of ocean currents that acts like a planetary conveyor belt. It carries warm tropical water northward, helping keep regions such as Europe relatively mild. After the water cools and becomes denser, it sinks and flows southward along the ocean floor. “It is well known that the AMOC is a…

Conor McGregor is seeking a rematch ⁠of his recent loss to Max Holloway in what would be the final bout of ⁠his UFC deal.In ⁠an ​Instagram post Monday that references the UFC’s International Fight Week next July, McGregor wrote, “What was ⁠to be a generational beating is now to be reset. IFW 2027. The Last Dance.”Should McGregor ⁠fight Holloway again, it would be the pair’s third ​matchup.In a welterweight fight ‌at UFC 329 ‌in Las Vegas on 11 July, Holloway (28-9) won by technical ‌knockout in just 69 seconds after McGregor (22-7) hurt his right knee on an early kick.The…

Nigerians on social media have become sharply divided over calls to boycott South African singer Tyla’s upcoming concert in Lagos, with many connecting the controversy to renewed anger over alleged xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. The backlash followed the release of Tyla’s APOP World Tour schedule, which includes a performance in Lagos on December 22 before the tour wraps up with shows in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9. The Grammy-winning artiste announced the tour on Monday, with concerts planned across Europe, North America, Nigeria and South Africa. The announcement quickly ignited heated reactions…

Rosie Jones is an actor, writer and award-winning standup comedian, and a familiar face on UK television – she’s fronted her own Comedy Central series Out of Order, starred in Channel 4’s hard-hitting documentary Am I a R*tard?, and led two travel series, Mission: Accessible and the Bafta-nominated Trip Hazard.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.She is the creator and star of the Channel 4 comedy-drama Pushers, a six-part series nominated for a Bafta in 2026. Her acting credits span primetime dramas such as Silent Witness, Casualty and…

On 17 July 1998 in Rome, the world made its support for international justice clear by adopting the statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC). Since 2010, the 17th of July has been commemorated as International Justice Day. The adoption of the Rome Statute was a landmark moment in the wake of genocides in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and wars ravaging Kosovo, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). So much hope rode on a permanent court with international jurisdiction designed to deter conflict, crimes against humanity and genocide. Yet, 28 years later, the ICC and international justice…

The Chairman of Pantami Ward in the Gombe Local Government Area, Bala Ngalda, has resigned his position and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Joining him in the move is the ward’s legal adviser, Babangida Gololo. Both party officials have expressed their support for former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who holds the Wike-backed PDP governorship ticket in the state. The resignations were communicated through separate letters dated 27 July, addressed to the Secretary of the APC in Pantami Ward. In his letter, Mr Ngalda stated that his decision followed extensive consultations with his family and…

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reinforced its position as one of the continent’s leading financial institutions after emerging as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Retail and Sustainability Leadership (ESG) at the prestigious 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence. The awards, presented at The Peninsula London in the United Kingdom, celebrates  banking institutions that demonstrate outstanding financial performance, innovation, customer impact and sustainable business practices. The double recognition underscores UBA’s leadership in driving sustainable finance while expanding access to innovative banking solutions for millions of customers across Africa. According to Euromoney, UBA distinguished itself through significant strides in…