The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) revised Recommendation 16 (R.16 or ‘Travel Rule’) introduces new requirements to improve transparency in payment and value transfers. While these updates aim to combat money laundering, financing of terrorism, and fraud, they also raise important questions about how implementation will affect financial inclusion. Throughout the revision process, the […]
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Life sciences – the study of living systems, from cells to ecosystems – are central to our health, environment and economy. Europe has long been a leader in life sciences, backed by a strong knowledge base and scientific excellence. But it is now losing ground to other global players in turning research into real-world […]
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24 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – World Drowning Prevention Day, a global advocacy event held annually on 25 July, serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and offer lifesaving solutions to prevent it. Over the last decade at least 3 million people have lost their […]
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Spanish environmental technology firm Greene Enterprise has secured €224 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Banco Santander to construct five advanced waste recovery plants across Spain. The funding—split evenly between the two institutions—will support the development of facilities designed to convert over 200,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually into reusable industrial […]
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has mapped the evolving contours of globalization, revealing a complex and uneven landscape shaped by rising trade uncertainty, plateauing global imports, and divergent regional integration patterns. Key Takeaways from the IMF’s Globalization Assessment: These findings underscore a transition from uniform globalization to a more fragmented and regionally nuanced framework. The […]
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Consumer goods manufacturer Kimberly-Clark, known for brands such as Andrex® and Kleenex®, has announced a major £125 million (US$168.9 million) investment in green hydrogen infrastructure to decarbonize its UK operations. The initiative, supported by the UK government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round One (HAR1), will significantly reduce the company’s reliance on natural gas and cut carbon emissions […]
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The United States government has strongly condemned the Hong Kong authorities’ July 25 announcement of arrest warrants and bounties targeting 15 additional overseas pro-democracy activists, including individuals residing in the U.S. The move marks the largest single round of extraterritorial warrants issued under Hong Kong’s national security law to date. In a press statement issued […]
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On July 23, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a landmark executive order titled “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government”, directing federal agencies to procure only “neutral, nonpartisan” artificial intelligence models. The order defines “woke AI” as models influenced by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles, including references to systemic racism, intersectionality, and gender […]
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At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced plans to establish a Global Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, aimed at fostering international collaboration on AI development and governance. Li emphasized that AI is a transformative engine for economic growth, but warned that current global governance is fragmented, with significant disparities […]
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The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a positive recommendation for lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug developed by Gilead Sciences, for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV-1 infection. The approval marks a major advancement in HIV prevention, offering the longest-lasting protection currently available. Lenacapavir, marketed as Yeytuo in Europe, is already approved for HIV treatment and […]
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