Global digest
A global digest of law, regulation, public affairs, governance and market-shaping institutional change.
The feed is curated around areas where legal frameworks, market structure, institutional practice and technological change intersect.
UK investment bank Standard Chartered will offer its Asia-focused multi-asset fund to investors in the UAE, targeting various asset classes in the Asia-Pacific region. The Signature Select APAC Allocation Plus fund was launched in collaboration with US...
Saudi dairy and food producer Almarai reported a fall in net profit in the second quarter, driven by cost inflation. Net earnings fell by 2 percent year on year to SAR636 million ($170 million), despite revenues rising by 11 percent to SAR5.9 billion....
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is reportedly reviewing a list of banks for financial advisory mandates as it seeks to expand globally. The state-backed company has invited pitches from at least 10 investment banks for retained advisory roles...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today visited the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), in Beijing, China. During the visit, SG Dr. Kao was received by Professor Jiang Zeting, Chair of CUPL, and Mr. Lu Chunlong, President of...
BlueFive Capital, an Abu Dhabi-based alternative asset manager, said it co-led the $3 billion funding round for Chinese AI developer Kling AI. The Chinese company is valued at $18 billion after the latest fundraising round, BlueFive said in a statement....
Financial reporting is, at its core, an exercise in summarization. For example, the income statement condenses millions of transactions into only a handful of line items. This act is not merely convenient but necessary, since preparing and disclosing every...
The SEC and CFTC (the “Commissions”) have jointly requested public comment on how to draw clearer regulatory boundaries for classifying, within statutory bounds, innovative derivatives and related products that implicate the jurisdiction of the Commissions...
Saudi investors are preparing to launch a private equity fund designed to attract foreign investment into the kingdom, according to an executive involved in its formation. The fund will target controlling stakes in sectors including healthcare, logistics,...
The most pressing supply-chain risk with artificial intelligence is not advanced chips but the industrial materials and chemicals that underpin them, according to a new report. Washington-based consultancy The Asia Group warned that prolonged disruption in...
Saudi Arabia is seeking private investors for a proposed giant Ferris wheel in Medina, as the kingdom increases its reliance on private capital and sharpens its focus on attractions for pilgrims and domestic travellers. The SAR511 million ($135 million)...
Strategy Inc (MSTR), formerly MicroStrategy Incorporated, functions differently from other public companies. At its core, the firm produces no goods or services, has no operating cash flow, and does not compete with other companies. Yet, by early 2025, its...
In June, a divided panel of the Eleventh Circuit deepened a circuit split on a jurisdictional issue in immigration law. Judge Brasher, joined by Chief Judge Pryor, agreed with the Ninth Circuit and held that a court of appeals lacks jurisdiction to review...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, shared his thoughts and perspectives in media interviews with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and China.org.cn, on the sidelines of his official visit in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. Dr....
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today was conferred an Honorary Professorship by the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), in Beijing, China. The event demonstrated the CUPL’s recognition of the importance of the ASEAN-China...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received the appointment as Honorary Dean of the China-ASEAN School by the China University of Political Science (CUPL), in Beijing, China. The award reflects the strong CUPL’s commitment and vision to...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today joined the President of the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), Professor Mr. LU Chunlong, in unveiling the China-ASEAN School in Beijing, China, which aims to further promoting...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered a Keynote Address at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference on Exchanges and Mutual Learning on Rule of Law Civilisation at the World Jurists Forum 2026, held in Beijing, China, on 5 July 2026....
Distinguished Guests Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, As we convene, the objectives of the Government of Seychelles remain clear and focused on the digital expansion of services within the public sector, the need to offer more speed and interoperability in...
Guest of Honour, Commissioner of Customs, Seychelles Revenue Commission, Senior Government Officials, Representatives of the Private Sector, Colleagues from COMESA Secretariat and the Seychelles Revenue Commission, Members of the Press, Distinguished...
There has never been more interest in restraining proxy advisors. President Trump has issued an executive order devoted to “[p]rotecting American [i]nvestors” from them. Elon Musk has called them “corporate terrorists.” Two House committees are...
[Manan Shukla is an Advocate specialising in complex commercial disputes and international arbitration] In June 2024, the Government of India (GoI) issued an Office Memorandum (OM) that marked a significant departure from its prior support for arbitration....
JAKARTA, 1 – 3 July 2026 – The 2nd Regional Forum on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Strategic Plan, themed “Mainstreaming the Strategic Plan into Regional, National, and Local Development Plans,” was held on 1 – 3 July at the ASEAN...
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies are likely to raise production quotas for a fourth month in a row when they hold a virtual meeting on Sunday. Oil prices have fallen to their lowest since the Iran war began on...
New levies on multinational companies and a “sin tax” on harmful products are forecast to earn Kuwait record high non-oil revenues in the next fiscal year, helping to reduce the Gulf state’s dependence on hydrocarbons. The two types of tax could fetch the...
After the final vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday, key EP negotiators Andrey Novakov and Virginijus Sinkevičius will brief journalists on the EU air passenger rights rules review. Committee on Transport and Tourism Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
Emaar’s imminent plans to launch a new “city within a city” are likely to be a revamp of an existing masterplan named Dubai Estate, realtors and industry sources have told AGBI. The master developer has been working on the project in south-east Dubai since...
Key Takeaways Respondents to Glass Lewis’ Stewardship Survey who use an external stewardship provider say they mostly do so as “capacity multipliers,” leveraging external resources and expertise to pursue common goals. Challenges faced by respondents...
Shareholder Activism Approaching the 2026 Midpoint: Trends, Lessons, and What to Expect for the Rest of the Season Posted by Sebastian Alsheimer, J.T. Ho, and Paul J. Shim, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, on Friday, June 26, 2026 Tags: Board...
The minutes of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Consumer Forum meeting on 2 June 2026.
There are few moments more unsettling than handing over your dog to a surgeon. When I left my 10-year-old Yorkshire terrier Cozy at Al Barsha Veterinary Hospital this week, I was certainly more anxious than her. She was a little upset at being separated...
The register of interests of the members of the Competition and Markets Authority board.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the completed acquisition by Y3 Holdings Limited (Healthcare Ireland) of Hutchinson Homes Limited.
Gulf Arab states have backed Iraq’s anti-corruption drive, with GCC secretary-general Jassim Al-Budaiwi signalling in Baghdad this week that reforms under prime minister Ali Al-Zaidi could pave the way for deeper investment and economic cooperation....
Egypt is seeking more investment into its oil and gas sector from UAE oil major Adnoc. The country is trying to revive exploration and lift domestic production and officials have highlighted opportunities in undeveloped Mediterranean gas discoveries. The...
Arab investors owned 30 percent of companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) by the end of June. Non-Arab investors hold 16 percent, bringing total non-Jordanian ownership to 46 percent, of which 33 percent are institutional investors, including...
BlueFive Capital, an Abu Dhabi-based alternative asset manager, has acquired a 70 percent stake in Gulf Cobla, a UAE dredging and land reclamation company. As part of the deal, BlueFive Capital will acquire the entire 49 percent stake held by Advanced...
Turkey’s IC Holding is planning to deploy up to 20 small modular reactors (SMRs) in Turkey and across the Middle East and Europe in collaboration with US-based ARC Clean Technology. The long-term plans include up to 10 reactors in Turkey and another 10...
State-backed Oman National Investments Development Company (Tanmia) and FIM Partners Muscat have jointly launched an OMR96 million ($250 million) fund to accelerate growth in the real estate sector. The Oman Real Estate Development Fund will focus on...
Saudi developer Rikaz is focusing on projects in Islam’s holy cities and weighing up a future listing to fund its expansion across the kingdom, its chief executive has told AGBI. Rikaz, which is headquartered in Khobar, is developing 13 million square...
[Kamal Nambiar is a 3rd year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) student and Shruti Ghosh is a 2nd year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) student at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad] The integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) metrics into capital markets has...
ESMA reminds firms of existing rules and obligations under binary option measures amid growing popularity of prediction markets globally 03 July 2026 Investor protection The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets...
ESMA launches Common Supervisory Action with NCAs on the risk management function 03 July 2026 Risk monitoring The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, is launching a Common Supervisory...
Recent Rulemakings Reviewed is a monthly quantitative snapshot of federal regulatory activity, drawn from FRTracker—a platform that ingests Federal Register documents and decomposes binding rules into structured “obligations.” An “obligation” in this...
Bank of Baroda, one of India’s largest lenders, has agreed a $600 million out-of-court settlement in the NMC Health fraud case. The India-listed bank was one of three defendants in the $5.4 billion claim brought by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), administrator of...
Spokespersons for Parliament and for the political groups will hold a briefing on the 6-9 July plenary session, on Friday at 11.00 in Parliament’s Anna Politkovskaya press room. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 2nd July, 2026: The East African Community (EAC) has successfully concluded national consultations on the drafting of the Constitution of the East African Political Confederation in the Republic of...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 2 July 2026, met over dinner with H.E. Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, on the sidelines of the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The...
Abu Dhabi investment group Mair said redevelopment and expansion work at the Mall of Al Ain will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The project will be carried out in phases by Makani Real Estate, Mair’s commercial real estate arm. The mall, which opened...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered a closing address at the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, highlighting the “Power of ASEAN Conviction” in navigating an increasingly complex regional and global...
The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) has published a report providing advice to UK Sport and the Greater London Authority (GLA) concerning its proposed subsidy to Athletic Ventures LLP (AV LLP).
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. And thank you, Barbara [Van Allen], for your generous introduction. Before I offer a few reflections, I must note the standard disclaimer that the views I express here today are my own as Chairman and do not necessarily...
Key takeaway Increases in the number of metrics used in short-term CEO incentive plans correspond with a notable increase in payout levels across the S&P 1500 Above-median payouts do not clearly correspond to above-median performance, as measured by annual...
Qatar and Algeria have agreed to press ahead with an expansion of their joint steel plant in the North African country. The two countries also agreed to pursue plans to establish one of the world’s largest farm projects in another multi-billion dollar joint...
Abu Dhabi conglomerate International Holding Company (IHC) and India’s Adani Group have reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of the Indian state of Odisha to invest billions of dollars to build a greenfield aluminium plant....
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) welcomes the achievement by the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) and the private healthcare industry of the ‘gold milestone’ of full compliance with the CMA’s Private Healthcare Market Investigation...
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has completed its remittal into the private healthcare market and has brought article 22 of the 2014 Order into force.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated suspected infringements of consumer law in relation to the addition of optional charges by Marks Electrical Limited (Marks Electrical) in the UK and gave a Final Infringement Notice reflecting the...
Saudi Arabia’s market regulator has invited proposals to launch a domestic commodities exchange, as the kingdom looks to deepen its capital markets and support its fast-growing mining sector. The exchange “aims to strengthen the capital market...
Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) says repair work to restore production at its Al Taweelah smelter, one of the world’s largest, is ahead of schedule. The site sustained significant damage on March 28 after Iranian missile and drone attacks on Khalifa Economic...
Newcastle United will have to focus on raising commercial revenues rather than relying on its wealthy Saudi owners after falling foul of European football’s financial sustainability regulations. The English Premier League side, bought by the Public...
Anghami, one of the largest music streaming apps in the Middle East and North Africa, said it received a preliminary, non-binding offer from OSN Streaming (OSN), its Dubai-based controlling shareholder, to acquire all outstanding shares and delist from...
The proposal adopted on Thursday will allow faster permitting for electricity grids and renewables projects, to help cut energy prices through the domestic supply of clean energy. Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with H.E. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, Chairman of the Southeast Asian Futures Initiative Centre (SEAFIC), on the sidelines of the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Both...
The UAE emerged as the largest foreign investor in Qatar in 2025, contributing $814 million across 73 projects, Qatar’s investment promotion agency said in a report. The US ranked second, investing $587 million in 53 projects, while the UK came third with...
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct relating to Solidworks software which may infringe Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998.
The World Bank will lend $265 million to develop a pumped-storage hydropower plant in Morocco as part of the country’s renewable energy push. The facility combines financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, concessional...
China’s Zenith Group will invest $300 million in a car tyre-component manufacturing plant in Egypt. The facility, part of Cairo’s push to expand its industrial sector, will be built on a 320,000-square-metre plot in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. It will...
Oman India Fertiliser Company’s (Omifco) initial public offering attracted OMR4.7 billion ($12.2 billion) in investor orders, making it 18 times oversubscribed. It drew the “highest-ever demand generated by any IPO in Oman” from local, regional and...
On June 11, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in FS Credit Opportunities Corp. v. Saba Capital Master Fund, Ltd. , holding that Section 47(b) of the Investment Company Act (the ICA) does not provide an implied private …
Gulf banks have lost the battle for remittances and could cede small-business payments to fintechs and blockchain networks, industry executives have said. Speaking at a closed-door roundtable in the UAE, the business leaders also said, however, that...
London-based Revolut has finally received regulatory approval to operate in the UAE. This is good news for consumers who have had to put up with flabby foreign exchange rates and high charges – see below – for too long. It will be less welcome to...
Medical checks required for Dubai residency visas have returned to about 80 percent of pre-war levels, according to a government-approved provider of the tests. The figures suggest the disruption to expatriate hiring caused by the Iran war is easing,...
At the invitation of the China University of Political Science and Law (“CUPL”), Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate and deliver a keynote address at the World Jurists Forum 2026 under the theme “Exchanges and Mutual Learning on...
Moody’s Germany fined EUR 2,145,000 for misreporting to ESMA 02 July 2026 Press Releases Securities Financing Transactions Supervision Trade Repositories The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and...
ESMA identifies up to €1 billion in potential annual savings from simplifying EU transaction reporting 02 July 2026 Market data Press Releases Simplification and Burden Reduction The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial...
A new report published today, 2 July, by the WTO and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) examines the transformative impact of digital trade on global economic structures, with a particular focus on how fit-for-purpose regulatory...
The WTO Fish Fund will provide grants to an additional 17 developing and least-developed country (LDC) WTO members to help them implement the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, as approved by the WTO Fish Fund Steering Committee at its seventh meeting...
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the anticipated acquisition by Paramount Skydance Corporation of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the anticipated acquisition by Liberty Global, Telefónica and InfraVia, through their joint venture nexfibre, of Substantial (including Netomnia, Brsk, Brsk ISP and YouFibre). Liberty Global and...
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) published updated statistics and data visualizations covering key segments of the U.S. capital markets, including three new asset-backed securities (ABS) issuance data…
Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence investor MGX has closed its first dedicated AI fund with $49 billion in commitments, exceeding its target, as global institutional financiers pour money into the sector. The MGX Fund I, which set an initial target of $45...
QatarEnergy’s disruption to liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will extend into a fourth month after the state-owned producer told Italy’s Edison that it would be unable to deliver cargoes due by mid-September. The latest extension to QatarEnergy’s force...
Saudi Arabia has launched an auction for mining exploration rights across three mineral-rich belts spanning 13,000 square kilometres. The three belts are Ad Duwayhi, Sukhaybarat/Al-Safra and Al-Nuqrah, which contain gold, copper, silver, zinc and nickel,...
Omani proposals for a voluntary service-cost mechanism under which the sultanate and Iran would oversee navigation through the Strait of Hormuz are being reviewed by the US. The proposals, delivered to Washington by Oman, do not include mandatory Hormuz...
L’imad, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, has acquired a 35 percent stake in Limagrain Vegetable Seeds (LVS), a division of French cooperative and seed group Limagrain. The transaction was initially announced in June 2025 by ADQ, which was consolidated...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid, Joint Chairman of the Malaysian Industry–Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)/ Founding Director of International Institute of...
The Program on Corporate Governance at Harvard Law School (HLS) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications from highly qualified candidates who are interested in working with the Program as Post-Doctoral or Doctoral Corporate Governance Fellows....
What the audit committee needs to know On May 5, the SEC issued a rule proposal that would provide an optional semiannual reporting framework as an alternative to the existing quarterly reporting framework. The optional semiannual reporting framework would...
H.E. Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community, received H.E. Ms. Çiğdem Erdoğan, Chairperson of the Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic...
Oman will subsidise half of the transport and insurance costs for food imports over the next six months, aiming to strengthen security of supply and shield consumers from higher prices as a result of the Iran war. State-run shipping company Asyad Group said...
EU institutions receive the 2026 Ombudsman Award for Excellence in Open Administration for user-friendly EU Law Tracker. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
While economic concerns grow, Europeans value the peaceful, protective and cooperative nature of the EU, and recognise the quality of life it enables. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
Carmaker Stellantis is pressing ahead with plans to build vehicles in Saudi Arabia and wants to more than treble its market share in the Gulf. The company is betting that Chinese technology and local manufacturing can help it regain ground in one of the...
Letters between the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and minsters in UK government.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market study into early years education and childcare services in England.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is undertaking a market study into early years education and childcare services in England.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views from people who are paying for childcare with government support to cover the cost, with your own money, or a mix of both.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views from anyone involved in providing childcare services.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views from stakeholders with an interest in early years education and childcare.
Call for Application ASEAN Artists Residency Programme (AARP) Myanmar The post Call for Application ASEAN Artists Residency Programme (AARP) Myanmar appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal .
Oman Air and Saudi Arabia’s newest airline Riyadh Air are adding new routes as part of their global expansion strategies. State-backed Oman Air will launch a non-stop Muscat to Singapore service from Thursday, Oman Air CEO Con Korfiatis told Reuters. The...
Turkey and Qatar will jointly develop and expand a new satellite project to improve broadband and mobility coverage across the Middle East and North Africa. The Es’hail-3/Turksat-Biruni satellite project will be funded by Qatar, the Turkish state-run...
Kuwaiti telecoms company Zain Group will invest more than $1.5 billion to develop a mobile network in Syria. Zain was awarded a 25-year licence (20 years plus an extendable five-year term) by Syria’s communications ministry for $747 million to operate the...
More than two years after the SEC adopted final climate disclosure rules, the SEC has now proposed not to modify, improve, or trim them, but to rescind them entirely. This proposed action is at odds with the fact that more …
First, let me begin by expressing what a profound privilege it is to speak to the Economic Club of New York. Of course, this occasion is rendered especially meaningful—and even, serendipitously, a greater honor—by its timing, as we stand mere …
A major Neom contractor has stopped work on the Saudi giga-project but still intends to expand in the kingdom, as Riyadh redirects spending towards transport, infrastructure and plans with clearer commercial returns. Despite cancellations across...
Dubai’s hotel market is unlikely to recover fully from the impact of the Iran-US conflict until the second quarter of next year, according to a senior executive at one of the world’s largest hotel operators. Accor, which has headquarters in Paris and runs...
The UAE is stepping up tax enforcement, with audits rising by almost half last year as the Federal Tax Authority enters a new phase driven by artificial intelligence and e-invoicing. The FTA increased audits by 46 percent in 2025, according to its latest...
JAKARTA, 1 July 2026 | With the right policy framework in place, ASEAN Member States could generate up to US$8.5 billion over the next decade from supplying eligible carbon credits to the United Nations’ Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for...
ESMA recognises the Clearing Corporation of India Limited as a Tier 1 third-country CCP 01 July 2026 CCP The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has recognised The Clearing Corporation of India Limited...
ESMA consults on simplifying EU Taxonomy disclosure framework 01 July 2026 Sustainable finance The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU financial markets regulator and supervisor, has launched a consultation on technical advice to the...
ESMA appoints Peter Tkáč as the new member of its Management Board 01 July 2026 About ESMA Management Board The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the European Union’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, has appointed Peter Tkáč,...
What is the economic value of the multilateral trading system embodied in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its successor, the World Trade Organization (WTO)? As the trading system faces growing pressure from global challenges, this...
The WTO has announced the candidates selected for the 2026 Young Trade Leaders Programme, an initiative launched two years ago to foster a better understanding of the WTO's work and international trade among young people. Seven individuals have been...
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala issued a call on 1 July for deeper engagement between WTO members and academics, research institutes and other stakeholders in order to help advance ongoing discussions on WTO reform. Speaking at the opening of the WTO...
La Fiscalía Nacional Económica (FNE) publicó hoy el Informe Final de su Estudio de Mercado sobre comercio electrónico, concluyendo que este sector funciona de manera competitiva, pero presenta ciertas características que justifican mantener su monitoreo. El...
SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins
The D.C. Circuit issued six administrative-law decisions last week. Several represent the latest installment in protracted legal battles, making for some complicated (or at least long) procedural histories. Taking the prize for the oldest dispute is Baxley...