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  • Private flu vaccine stocks running low as cases rise

    Private flu vaccine stocks running low as cases rise

    Getty Images An older woman with grey hair and glasses blows her nose while sitting on a sofa with a grey blanket round her shoulders. There is a box of tissues on the table in front of her as well as various bottles that may be medicine. Getty Images

    The latest figures show Scotland has reached a high level of flu activity

    Pharmacies have warned that private stocks of flu vaccines are running low.

    It comes as lab-confirmed cases rose by 24% to 2,331 cases, from 1-7 December,…

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  • Kavita Shah named in Lloyd’s List Top 10 Maritime Lawyers of 2025

    Kavita Shah named in Lloyd’s List Top 10 Maritime Lawyers of 2025

    Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is proud to announce that London Assets and Structured Finance Partner Kavita Shah has been recognised among Lloyd’s List’s Top 10 Maritime Lawyers of 2025.

    Kavita is honoured for her expertise in maritime asset finance—particularly creditor representation—and her advisory work on portfolio acquisitions, refinancings, and credit facilities.

    Lloyd’s List is one of the world’s oldest continuously running journals, having provided weekly shipping news in London from as early as 1734. Its annual Top 10 Maritime Lawyers list spans private practice solicitors, in-house counsel and barristers worldwide.

    WFW Global Maritime Sector Head George Macheras commented: “We’re thrilled to see Kavita named as one of Lloyd’s List’s Top 10 Maritime Lawyers of 2025. WFW has had a strong presence on this list over the years, reflecting the firm’s deep expertise in the maritime sector across all key service lines”.

    Kavita added: “It’s an honour to be recognised by Lloyd’s List as one of their top maritime lawyers globally. Since joining WFW, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside colleagues previously featured on this list, which has helped me develop the skills and expertise to earn this accolade myself”.

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  • Thailand reports first civilian deaths in renewed border conflict with Cambodia

    Thailand reports first civilian deaths in renewed border conflict with Cambodia

    SURIN, Thailand — Thai officials on Thursday announced four civilian deaths as heavy combat fighting flared along the country’s border with Cambodia, marking the country’s first civilian fatalities since fighting resumed this month.

    The latest…

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  • Balanced Brain Activity Key for Memory, Study Finds

    Balanced Brain Activity Key for Memory, Study Finds

    A new study has revealed that neural inhibition and balanced neural activity in a specific area of the brain is required for recognition memory. The findings could help provide better understanding of cognitive disorders, including…

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  • Sovereign wealth funds boost Middle East M&A growth

    Sovereign wealth funds boost Middle East M&A growth

    M&A activity within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC, which comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman) defied the global trend in 2025 as both deal value and deal transaction count to December 1 were higher than the totals for 2024 (USD72.7 billion over 554 transactions, up 170% and 2.6% respectively).

    The UAE (USD60.4bn) and Saudi Arabia (USD8bn) were the two biggest markets, with both recording higher deal value in Q4 2025 compared with the previous quarter.

    Some of the biggest transactions were inbound acquisitions in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including Aramco’s USD11bn lease and leaseback of its Jafurah gas processing business to a consortium of investors led by Global Infrastructure Partners. The region’s financial services sector has also seen number of in-market mergers, including Gulf Bank and Warba Bank (Kuwait), and other ongoing transactions across countries in the GCC.

    Outbound M&A follows national objectives

    Outbound M&A activity was high, with Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds among the world’s most active cross-border investors. Their deals are driven by national governments’ desire to transition their economies away from fossil fuels, execute their policy objectives (for example by using acquisitions to scale domestic or regional champions, or consolidate companies in strategic sectors); strengthen ties with international allies; boost their soft power; and/or invest in the industries of the future.

    SWFs pursue control positions

    As their influence grows, SWFs are taking more control positions over minority stakes or passive investments. We are also seeing a marked uptick in international private equity and private credit funds investing in the region. These transactions often have a dual purpose, with the largest private capital firms increasingly looking to the Middle East for capital including anchor investments from SWFs.

    The highest-profile SWF transaction of 2025 was the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) USD55bn acquisition of videogame developer Electronic Arts alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, the investment company founded by Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.

    U.S. policy shifts and access to technology

    Since entering office, the Trump administration has sought to partner with governments in the region on a range of initiatives, from real estate projects to M&A transactions.

    These deals have given Middle Eastern governments access to U.S. technologies such as AI and semiconductors in exchange for investments into “America First” priority sectors including data centers, energy, and manufacturing. Recent sales of advanced U.S. chips to the Middle East are the result of a significant policy shift in Washington. The U.S government has rescinded the Biden government’s AI Diffusion Rule, under which licensing requirements were imposed on technology transactions with a broad swathe of countries.

    In November Saudi Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) visited the White House, where President Trump agreed to sell F35 fighter jets and tanks to the kingdom. MBS also pledged an additional USD400bn of investment into American technology and infrastructure, on top of the USD600bn promised earlier in the year. The two leaders also signed a nuclear energy partnership, critical minerals framework, and AI memorandum of understanding. In May, President Trump signed similar deals with the UAE and Qatar. 

    Governments use strategic neutrality as technological hedge

    While relations with the U.S. have grown closer under President Trump, Middle Eastern governments are also leveraging their strategic neutrality to pursue M&A opportunities in the PRC (including through co-investments between regional SWFs and Asia-Pacific asset managers).

    China has been building relationships across the Middle East for many years, and as early as 2020 had replaced the European Union as the GCC’s largest trading partner. China’s investments into the region span infrastructure (through its Belt and Road initiative and financial cooperation arrangements), while its Digital Silk Road program—as well as its national champions—have led the charge in the tech space. 

    Elsewhere, investment flows with India and Africa are strong, especially in sectors such as energy and minerals. India in particular has close social ties with the region thanks to the significant movement of human capital across the Arabian Sea.

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  • FIA Accelerates Global Motor Sport Development with New Resources for Members

    FIA Accelerates Global Motor Sport Development with New Resources for Members

    • Major upgrade announced to innovative ‘Motor Sport in a Box’ toolkit which enables grassroots motor sport events globally
    • Digital Licensing rollout on track to improve efficiency, reliability and global compatibility of driver…

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  • Statement of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) on vaccines and autism

    On 27 November 2025, the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) assessed two new systematic literature reviews[1], performed using robust methodology, on the potential relationship between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder…

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  • Kathryn Bryce & Pippa Sproul in Scotland squad for T20 World Cup Qualifier

    Kathryn Bryce & Pippa Sproul in Scotland squad for T20 World Cup Qualifier

    “Having that time together in Thailand was really important to get everyone back together and play T20 cricket as a group for this first time in a while,” said Wallace.

    “It was great getting to work on a few different things in terms of how we…

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  • Royal ‘thank you’ carol service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    Royal ‘thank you’ carol service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    The Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston, said royal patronage “does makes a huge difference, because it made it then possible for us to invite just about everybody we wanted to come.

    “I think we’ve found representatives from all…

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  • Google tests AI-powered article overviews with publishers

    Google has started a global pilot program with news publishers to test AI-powered article summaries and audio briefings. Publishers taking part include The Guardian, El País, Der Spiegel, The Times of India, The Washington Post, Folha de S….

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