Commonwealth News
Shell to acquire Canada’s ARC in output-boosting $16.4 billion deal
Shell has agreed to buy Canadian producer ARC Resources in a $16.4 billion deal, in its biggest acquisition since the 2016 BG purchase. The deal is expected to lift Shell’s output by about 370,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and strengthen its Canadian gas...
Canada announces new sovereign wealth fund
Canada will establish its first sovereign wealth fund, the Canada Strong Fund, with an initial federal endowment of C$25 billion, as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to drive long-term growth and reduce dependence on the United States. Carney said the fund will...
Stablecoin payments hit $4.5T as Tether leads market
Stablecoin activity accelerated sharply in Q1 2026, with transaction volumes hitting $4.5 trillion and supply climbing to a record $315 billion, according to market research cited by Andreessen Horowitz. The data suggests stablecoins are moving beyond crypto trading...
India targets welfare as e‑rupee proving ground
India is expanding its e-rupee pilot into welfare payments for agriculture and subsidised food distribution, in a bid to reduce leakage and corruption in its roughly $80 billion subsidy system. The Reserve Bank of India’s programme, backed by the World Bank, state...
Togo, African Union seek UN adoption of new world map reflecting Africa’s true size
Togo plans to challenge the long-standing Mercator world map at the United Nations, saying it distorts Africa’s true size and global importance. Backed by the African Union, the government wants countries to support a more accurate projection, likely the Equal Earth...
Zambia consolidates 12 million patient records into unified system, laying groundwork for AI-Driven healthcare
Zambia has integrated more than 12 million patient records into a unified electronic health records system, laying the groundwork for AI-ready healthcare delivery nationwide. Officials said the SmartCare Pro platform is now live in over 2,000 health facilities,...