CICC to Acquire Dongxing and Cinda Securities in Landmark ¥1 Trillion (US$140 billion) Merger

China International Capital Corporation (CICC), one of the country’s leading investment banks, has announced plans to acquire Dongxing Securities Co. Ltd and Cinda Securities Co. Ltd in a share‑swap deal that will create a brokerage with assets exceeding ¥1 trillion (US$140 billion) Yicai Global EconoTimes finews.asia. Consolidation in China’s Brokerage Sector The merger, unveiled on […]

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Ashurst and Perkins Coie Announce £2bn Merger to Form Top‑20 Global Law Firm

London‑based Ashurst and US firm Perkins Coie have unveiled plans to merge, creating a transatlantic powerhouse with projected revenues of £2 billion ($2.7 billion). The new entity, to be known as Ashurst Perkins Coie, will rank among the world’s top 20 law firms by revenue, marking one of the most significant legal industry tie‑ups in […]

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Ireland Moves to Guarantee Nationwide Access to Cash Under New Law

Ireland’s new Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, is set to formally sign the Access to Cash legislation, ensuring that the majority of the population will remain within 10 kilometres of an ATM or cash service point such as banks or post offices. The measure, passed by the Oireachtas earlier this year, is designed to protect […]

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From milking stalls to mobile apps: UN-supported project powers rural revival in Indonesia

Members of the South Bandung Farming Cooperative (KPBS) have recorded a 38 per cent increase in productive loans and a 43 per cent rise in sales volumes over the past two years, following the introduction of a new business app. “Easier access to financing means higher loan volumes, which in turn means more cattle and […]

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European Voice Must Be ‘Front and Centre’ in Ukraine Peace Talks, Says McEntee

Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has insisted that the European Union must play a central role in shaping any peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Speaking as US, Ukrainian, and European officials met in Geneva to discuss a potential accord, McEntee warned that Europe cannot be sidelined in negotiations that will […]

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Unprecedented Diagnostic Crisis Deepens: 46,000 Patients in Ireland and Over 7 Millions in UK Face ‘Unacceptable’ Delays for Vital Scans

Campaigners warn that prolonged waits for cancer and heart scans are putting lives at risk, as patients in Ireland and the UK endure unprecedented backlogs. Healthcare systems in both Ireland and the UK are under intense scrutiny as waiting lists for diagnostic scans reach crisis levels. In Ireland, unpublished National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) data […]

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Britain and Indonesia Seal £4 Billion Maritime Shipbuilding Partnership

Britain and Indonesia have finalized a £4 billion ($5.24 billion) maritime deal, a landmark agreement led by UK defence firm Babcock International to build vessels for the Southeast Asian nation. Announced on November 22, 2025, the deal underscores a deepening strategic partnership between London and Jakarta, with implications for both defence cooperation and economic growth. […]

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Germany’s Constitutional Court Rules Police Need Warrants to Enter Refugee Shelters

Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling, declaring that police cannot enter refugees’ homes or communal shelters to enforce deportations without a judicial search warrant. The decision strengthens the rights of asylum seekers and sets new limits on state authority in deportation procedures The African Courier InfoMigrants. Background of the Case The ruling […]

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Stronger measures to protect our democracy and civil society

  Our democracies are under threat in today’s world of international conflicts and growing technological disruption. Authoritarian regimes seek to undermine our trust in democratic institutions, free and fair elections and the values on which the European Union is founded. To counter this threat, the European Commission has presented the ‘European Democracy Shield’ that provides concrete […]

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Industry at the heart of global solutions: Global summit opens in Riyadh

“Industrial development is critical to strengthening economies, fighting poverty, and creating jobs and prosperity,” declared UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message to the event, delivered by the senior UN official in Saudia Arabia, Mohamed El-Zarkani.  Lifting the burden of poverty  Delegates from governments, private sector and civil society have arrived in the Saudi capital […]

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