Category: 3. Business

  • Financial markets now certain the RBA will hike interest rates in 2026 | Australian economy

    Financial markets now certain the RBA will hike interest rates in 2026 | Australian economy

    Financial markets are now pricing in a 100% chance the Reserve Bank will hike rates in 2026, in what would be a blow to mortgage holders but may take some steam out of an overheating property market.

    The latest forecasts represent a turnaround from just two weeks ago, when traders were factoring in an even chance that the next RBA move would be a cut by its May meeting.

    It comes as data showed inflation is now moving in the wrong direction, alongside this week’s national accounts and household spending figures which showed the economy is accelerating into the new year.

    Adam Donaldson, the head of interest rates strategy at the Commonwealth Bank, said “the market has come to the conclusion that the Reserve bank won’t be cutting rates any further”.

    “Basically, from February onwards, the market is starting to price some risk that rates will go up.”

    Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed consumer price growth jumped to 3.8% in the year to October – far higher than expected, and well above the top end of the central bank’s 2-3% target range.

    The pain of higher mortgage costs would be a particular blow to the more than 85,000 first-home buyers this year who have enjoyed three rate cuts in 2025 but now face the prospect of higher repayments.

    Chart showing changes to interest rate predictions over time

    Sally Tindall, the director of data insights at Canstar, said there was a dwindling number of banks offering loans at interest rates of below 5%, and that she expected fixed rates to climb higher from here as banks factored in the shifting expectations around the RBA’s cash rate.

    While outsmarting the banks was a hard task, Tindall said it was possible that fixing your mortgage at the lowest possible rate could work out for borrowers.

    “If it suits your finances, right now, based on current forecasts, wouldn’t be the silliest time to fix – but the key is to shop around.”

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    Three rate cuts this year have helped drive a rapid rise in home prices that has pushed affordability to its worst on record.

    As first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of the federal government’s expanded 5% deposit scheme, property investors have flooded into the market.

    Analysts at Westpac this week said they now expected property prices nationwide to rise by about 8% in 2025, and by as much as 14% in Brisbane and Perth.

    But the changed outlook for interest rates means that instead of accelerating to 9% next year, national home values should instead climb by 6% – only cold comfort to those struggling to get on the property ladder.

    All eyes now turn to Tuesday, when the RBA will deliver its final rates decision for 2025 and before the January break.

    Analysts are confident the central bank’s board will hold the cash rate at 3.6%, but will be looking for any pushback against the financial market’s recent “hawkish” outlook.

    While traders have moved swiftly to switch from predicting rate cuts to hikes, most economists believe the RBA is more likely to hold through 2026.

    AMP’s chief economist, Shane Oliver, has “decided to give up on our view of another cut”.

    But Oliver believes financial markets are overestimating the chance of higher rates.

    Unemployment is trending higher, he said, which means the jobs market is still “a little bit soft”.

    “There’s uncertainty around the reliability of the new monthly consumer price index, and consumer spending seems very dependent on getting discounts, which suggests a degree of fragility.”

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  • The shifting role of the hospital pharmacist and drug decision-making

    The shifting role of the hospital pharmacist and drug decision-making

    Pharmacists are taking on a greater role in patient care while finding ways to contribute more financially and operationally to their health systems. They need the right technology and support to succeed.

    The shifting role of the pharmacist

    Pharmacists were once seen as a drug-dispensing function, even within hospital and health system settings. Now, with team members present in nearly every care setting, from hospitals and physician clinics to patients’ homes and virtual environments, it is viewed as an enterprise. This evolution moves pharmacists onto the integrated care team, where they apply their deep knowledge of medication-related functions.

    Their unique skill set combines clinical insight, drug administration knowledge, financial acumen, and operational experience, which allows them to not only have impact on care quality and patient outcomes, but on operational efficiency and financial outcomes as well.

    Challenging financial dynamics of pharmacy

    Integrating pharmacists more deeply into care teams can present financial hurdles, as their value is often demonstrated by preventing adverse events, a metric that is difficult to quantify. However, a systems-focused view reveals their significant impact on both cost savings and revenue growth.

    Pharmacy can influence a health system’s total revenue by:

    Despite these contributions, reimbursement models often fail to cover the clinical work pharmacists perform. According to Staci A. Hermann, PharmD, MS, FASHP, FACHE, Vice President, Embedded Clinical Decision Support Content at Wolters Kluwer Health, “it does take some creativity to figure out the financial model and show where pharmacies can add value.”

    The value pharmacists bring to care outcomes and accessibility

    Modern pharmacy teams are frequently focused on helping patients navigate complex care access issues. Some of the ways they contribute to better outcomes and experiences, include:

    • Prior authorizations and coverage questions: By navigating coverage gaps and assisting with appeals on patients’ behalf, pharmacists improve patient satisfaction, accelerate access to care, and help solve efficiency issues.
    • Assistance programs: Pharmacists help patients discover medication rebate, discount, and assistance programs that, in some cases, are vital to their access to treatment.
    • Population health: By tracking at-risk groups of patients or reaching out to those in target groups for preventive care, pharmacists can help improve overall wellness with proactive information and reminders of needed immunizations, testing, and patient education.

    Technology to support the modern pharmacist

    Workforce shortages and burnout remain significant challenges, with many pharmacists reporting high stress levels and insufficient time for patient-focused tasks. Smart technology is essential for improving operational efficiency and allowing pharmacy staff to focus on higher-value clinical activities.

    Evidence-based technology is crucial for streamlining access to drug and clinical intelligence. Unified solutions that provide point-of-care access to trusted, updated information help make professional workflows more efficient:

    • UpToDate® Lexidrug™ provides pharmacists with the latest drug knowledge and patient-specific tools to support complex medication decisions directly within their workflow. It helps streamline tasks, enhance outcomes, and provide high-quality patient education.
    • Medi-Span® powers meaningful medication alerts, using clinical screening based on the latest evidence to help pharmacists reduce errors, inappropriate dosing, and adverse events. By optimizing notifications, it helps lessen alert fatigue and allows pharmacists to focus on the information that matters most.

    By using consistent, evidence-based solutions, care teams can standardize practices, reduce harmful variations, and streamline processes. This alignment is critical as pharmacists continue to expand their role in driving better patient care and access across the healthcare ecosystem.

    Learn more in the eBook, “Redefining pharmacy: Contributing to patient care ecosystem-wide.”

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  • Cloudflare investigates outage that brought down sites including Zoom and LinkedIn

    Cloudflare investigates outage that brought down sites including Zoom and LinkedIn

    MADRID — Internet infrastructure company Cloudflare on Friday said it had restored services following an outage that took place in the morning and brought down several global websites including LinkedIn, Zoom and others, the second such crash to affect the company in less than three weeks.

    Cloudflare said the issue had been resolved and was not due to an attack. A change to how its firewall handles requests “caused Cloudflare’s network to be unavailable for several minutes this morning,” the company said.

    It said it was “investigating issues with Cloudflare Dashboard and related APIs,” or application programming interface that allow software systems to communicate with each other.

    Cybersecurity experts say it generally takes time to pinpoint the exact cause of an outage.

    But based on Cloudflare’s initial statements, Friday’s incident came “down to a database change they had made as part of planned maintenance that just went slightly awry,” according to Richard Ford, chief technology officer at Integrity360, a Europe and Africa-based cybersecurity firm.

    It “effectively overloaded their systems,” he said.

    Edinburgh airport had to shut down briefly on Friday morning. But the airport later said the outage was a localized issue that was not related to Cloudflare.

    In November, a three-hour Cloudflare outage affected users of everything from ChatGPT and the online game, “League of Legends,” to the New Jersey Transit system.

    Last month Microsoft had to deploy a fix to address an outage of their Azure cloud portal that left users unable to access Office 365, Minecraft and other services. The tech company wrote on its Azure status page that a configuration change to its Azure infrastructure caused the outage.

    Amazon also experienced a massive outage of its cloud computing service in October.

    “This is one of the things that we are going to see more and more,” said cybersecurity expert Ford. “We are seeing the frequency increase as organizations put more eggs in fewer baskets, and as the complexity and the size and scale (grow) of operations like AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Cloudflare.”

    ___

    This version has been updated to reflect that Edinburgh airport says its temporary shutdown was not related to the Cloudflare outage.

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  • Canada's unemployment rate shrinks to lowest in 16 months as part-time jobs increase – Reuters

    1. Canada’s unemployment rate shrinks to lowest in 16 months as part-time jobs increase  Reuters
    2. Canada’s job market shows signs of improvement in November  Investing.com
    3. Canada Adds More Jobs than Expected  TradingView
    4. Statistics Canada to release November job figures ahead of Bank of Canada decision  BarrieToday.com
    5. Canada added 54,000 jobs in November, unemployment rate drops to 6.5%: StatCan  The Spec

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  • Ginkgo Bioworks Selected by PNNL to Deliver a Modular, High‑Throughput Phenotyping Platform for DOE’s M2PC

    Ginkgo Bioworks Selected by PNNL to Deliver a Modular, High‑Throughput Phenotyping Platform for DOE’s M2PC

    BOSTON, Dec. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) today announced it has been awarded by the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) a four-year, up to $47M contract to co-design, build, and integrate a High‑Throughput Automated Phenotyping Platform (HTP‑APP) in support of the Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability (M2PC). The platform, selected through a competitive procurement process, is intended to enable the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research program to generate rich, reproducible microbial and microbiome data that ensure the U.S. remains at the forefront of the bioeconomy, safeguarding economic, societal, and national security benefits while maintaining global leadership in biotechnology innovation.

    Drawing on Ginkgo Automation’s dynamic Catalyst scheduling software and modular Reconfigurable Automation Carts (RACs), the HTP‑APP is designed to automate end‑to‑end workflows—from media and cultivation to sample preparation and multimodal analytics—while supporting BSL‑2 operations, remote planning and execution, and laboratory integration. This modular approach is expected to help PNNL adapt the platform as scientific needs evolve, add new methods or instrumentation, and maintain high uptime in a user‑facility environment. Conceptual design elements include a RAC‑based architecture with function‑oriented “pods,” integrated transport, and software‑enabled interleaving of diverse protocols.

    “Our team is excited to contract and collaborate with PNNL again to build a new capability we believe will expand access to high‑quality biological phenotyping at scale. By combining modular automation with flexible software and managed support, we aim to help researchers generate the datasets that modern AI methods need,” said Will Serber, General Manager of Ginkgo Automation.

    “The recent AI Action Plan from President Trump called for investment in AI-enabled cloud laboratories to accelerate U.S. scientific innovation. This new project is a powerful example of how Ginkgo’s AI-enabled cloud lab technology can help keep the American bioeconomy competitive globally,” added Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks.

    M2PC is focused on delivering a predictive understanding of complex biological systems relevant to DOE’s mission. The planned platform is intended to (i) increase throughput and reproducibility of phenotyping campaigns across diverse microbes and consortia, (ii) capture multimodal analytical measurements suitable for AI/ML, and (iii) provide a sustainable, expandable foundation for future instrumentation and workflows at PNNL’s EMSL.

    More information about RACs and Catalyst automation software can be found here or at automation.ginkgo.bio.

    Planned platform highlights

    • Modularity and expandability: RAC‑based hardware that can be reconfigured or scaled as needs change; software “digital twin” tools to model throughput and identify bottlenecks.
    • End‑to‑end workflow coverage: Media prep, cultivation (including photosynthetic workflows), sample prep, and multimodal analytics (e.g., plate readers, imaging, flow cytometry, and LC/GC‑MS modalities) designed to support high‑quality, multimodal data generation.
    • Operations and reliability: Designed for cloud lab-ready remote monitoring and safe recovery, with training and managed support to help maximize uptime in a national user‑facility setting.

    About Ginkgo Bioworks

    Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. Ginkgo R&D Solutions delivers customizable R&D packages—such as protein engineering, nucleic acid design, and cell-free systems—giving partners a comprehensive way to accelerate innovation across therapeutics, diagnostics, & manufacturing. Ginkgo Agriculture provides R&D services for innovative companies that are developing agricultural biologicals and novel plant traits, including lead discovery, characterization and validation, product & process co-development, and small-scale toll manufacturing. Ginkgo Automation sells modular, integrated laboratory automation so scientists can spend their days planning and analyzing experiments rather than pipetting in the lab. Ginkgo Datapoints uses Ginkgo’s in-house automation to generate the large lab data sets to power your AI models. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying the next-generation infrastructure and technologies that global leaders need to predict, detect, and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo’s cell programming platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “can,” “project,” “potential,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) our ability to realize near-term and long-term cost savings associated with our site consolidation plans, including the ability to terminate leases or find sub-lease tenants for unused facilities, (ii) volatility in the price of Ginkgo’s securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo’s business, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, including with respect to our solutions and tools offerings, (iv) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (v) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (vi) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vii) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs and Codebase assets, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, (x) the product development, production or manufacturing success of our customers, (xi) our exposure to the volatility and liquidity risks inherent in holding equity interests in other operating companies and other non-cash consideration we may receive for our services, (xii) the potential negative impact on our business of our restructuring or the failure to realize the anticipated savings associated therewith and (xiii) the uncertainty regarding government budgetary priorities and funding allocated to government agencies. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of Ginkgo’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 25, 2025 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

    GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR CONTACT:
    [email protected]

    GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:
    [email protected]

    SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks


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  • Meeting highlights from the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) 2-4 December 2025

    CVMP opinions on veterinary medicinal products

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion for a marketing authorisation from Elanco GmbH for Varenzin (molidustat), for the management of non-regenerative anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, by increasing haematocrit/ packed cell volume.

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion, in exceptional circumstances, for a marketing authorisation from Laboratorios Syva S.A. for Epizootic haemorrhagic disease vaccine for the active immunisation of cattle to reduce viraemia and fever caused by epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus serotype 8.

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion for a marketing authorisation from CP-Pharma Handelsgesellschaft mbH for Firocoxib CP-Pharma (firocoxib), for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the relief of post-operative pain and inflammation associated with soft-tissue, orthopaedic and dental surgery in dogs.

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion for a variation for Dexdomitor (dexmedetomidine) concerning change(s) to therapeutic indication(s) – addition of a new therapeutic indication or modification of an approved one for Dexdomitor 0.5 mg/ml solution for injection: to be administered intravenously as a constant rate infusion in dogs and cats as part of a multimodal protocol during inhalation anaesthesia.

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion for a variation for Felpreva (meloxicam) to change the frequency of the adverse event “Application site reaction (e.g. scratching, erythema, hair loss, inflammation)” from very rare to rare.

    The Committee adopted a positive opinion for a variation to align the product information with version 9.1 of the QRD template for Mirataz.

    The Committee adopted positive opinions for variation applications concerning quality-related (manufacturing) changes for:

    • AdTab
    • Dexdomitor
    • Duotic/ Osurnia
    • Eluracat
    • Meloxidyl
    • Nexgard / Nexgard Spectra / Frontpro
    • ProteqFlu – Te Equine influenza (live recombinant) and tetanus vaccine
    • Sileo
    • Zuprevo

    Withdrawals of applications

    The Committee was informed of the formal notification from Vetbiobank of their decision to withdraw the application for an initial marketing authorisation for Livencia. More information about this application and the state of the scientific assessment at the time of the withdrawal will be made available in a public assessment report. The document, together with the withdrawal letter from the applicant, will be published on the Agency’s website in due course.

    Union referrals and related procedures

    The Committee concluded the procedure for Phenoxypen WSP, 325 mg/g powder for use in drinking water for chickens (phenoxymethylpenicillin) from Dopharma Research B.V. The European Commission (EC) had requested clarifications from the Committee under Article 54(8) of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 on a variation requiring assessment, due to lack of consensus between Member States in the CMDv review procedure on grounds of efficacy. The CVMP, having considered the request by the EC and all available data, concluded, by majority, that the benefit-risk balance of Phenoxypen WSP for the proposed indication and target species is positive, provided some amendments are implemented as outlined in the CVMP opinion.

    Maximum residue limits

    Further to a request from the European Commission, the Committee adopted, by consensus, a positive opinion recommending the modification of maximum residue limits for lidocaine in porcine species, to allow for the injection into the scrotum, testicles and spermatic cord in piglets up to 7 days of age. Lidocaine is currently included in Table 1 (Allowed substances) of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 with a ‘No MRL required’ classification for porcine but only for cutaneous and epilesional use.

    Scientific advice

    The Committee adopted seven scientific advice reports following requests for initial advice for two pharmaceutical products, three biological products and two immunological products for cattle (2), Atlantic salmon (1), horses (1), dogs (2) and pigs (1).

    Limited market classifications and eligibility according to Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6

    Following two requests, the CVMP classified:

    • A product (ATCvet classification: alimentary tract and metabolism) for horses as intended for a limited market and eligible for authorisation under Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6.
    • A product (ATCvet classification: musculo-skeletal system) for horses as intended for a limited market and eligible for authorisation under Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6.

    Pharmacovigilance

    The Committee adopted the outcomes of the signal management process for the current month. The signals submitted by marketing authorisation holders are listed, in chronological order, in the IRIS public portal: List of signals from Veterinary Signal Management. In order to access the list, the following filter should be applied in the ‘Submission type’ category: ‘Signal management submission’.

    Concept papers, guidelines

    Quality

    The Committee adopted a guideline on development and manufacture of synthetic peptides. This guideline has been developed to address specific aspects regarding the manufacturing process, characterisation, specifications and analytical control for synthetic peptides which are not covered in the Guideline on the Chemistry of Active Substances (EMA/454576/2016) or Chemistry of Active Substances for Veterinary Medicinal Products (EMA/CVMP/QWP/707366/2017). It also contains requirements and considerations related to conjugation, to medicinal product development, to synthetic peptide development using biological peptides as European reference medicinal product, and to clinical trial applications (human products only). The guideline will come into effect on 1 June 2026.

    Antimicrobial resistance

    Under Regulation (EU) 2019/6, the collection of data on sales of veterinary antimicrobials and on the use of antimicrobials in animals became a mandatory activity for Member States, who are obliged to report this data to the EMA. The Agency, in turn, cooperates with Member States to publish an annual report on the data.

    This month, the Committee adopted the second European Sales and Use of Antimicrobials for veterinary medicine (ESUAvet) report, which constitutes the annual surveillance report for 2024. It will be published on the EMA website on 9 December 2025.

    Organisational matters

    The Committee adopted the CVMP work plan for 2026.

    Working parties

    The Committee adopted the AWP, ERAWP, ESUAvet, EWP-V, IWP-V, NTWP, PhVWP-V, SAWP-V, SWP-V work plans for 2026, and the QWP, 3RsWP 3-year work plans for 2026-2028.

    More information about the above-mentioned medicines (including their full indications), guidelines, reflection papers, questions and answers and other documents, such as overviews on comments received during consultation, can be found below in Related content.

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  • K-Electric, Bank Alfalah Expand Digital Payment Convenience with Cashback Offer – K-Electric

    K-Electric, Bank Alfalah Expand Digital Payment Convenience with Cashback Offer – K-Electric


    Karachi, December 5, 2025:
    K-Electric (KE) has partnered with Bank Alfalah to encourage digital bill payments through a limited-time cashback offer, enabling customers to save instantly while experiencing seamless and secure transactions. Under the campaign, customers paying their KE bills via Alfa app by scanning the QR code on their bill will receive PKR 500 cashback, applicable on bill amounts of PKR 5,000 and above.

    The initiative is part of KE’s ongoing commitment to strengthen digital adoption across its customer base. Over 2.7 million customers are currently digitally connected, nearly three-fourths of KE’s total customers. Of these, 1.9 million customers actively use digital banking channels for their monthly electricity payments, reflecting a strong shift toward convenient and cashless modes of engagement.

    Speaking about the collaboration, Noor Afshan, Head of Marketing & Customer Experience at KE, said: “Digital adoption is no longer an added convenience, it is central to how today’s customers want to manage their lives. At KE, we are continuously working with leading financial partners to make bill payments easier, faster, and more rewarding. This collaboration reinforces our focus on building a frictionless customer experience and strengthening the digital ecosystem for Karachi.”

    The steady rise in digital payments reflects how Karachi’s customers, across both urban and peri-urban areas, are increasingly opting for cashless, contactless, and convenient channels. KE continues to introduce digital solutions that make essential services easier to access, supporting a more convenient ecosystem where customers can engage, transact, and resolve queries with greater ease.

    About K-Electric:
    K-Electric (KE) is a public listed company incorporated in Pakistan in 1913 as KESC. Privatized in 2005, KE is the only vertically integrated power utility in Pakistan supplying electricity to Karachi and its adjoining areas. The majority shares (66.4%) of the Company are owned by KES Power, a consortium of investors including Al-Jomaih Power Limited of Saudi Arabia, National Industries Group (Holding) of Kuwait, and KE Holdings (Formerly: Infrastructure and Growth Capital Fund or IGCF). The Government of Pakistan is also a shareholder (24.36%) in the Company while the remaining are listed as free float shares.

    www.ke.com.pk

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  • Electric ferry brings zero-emission travel to the River Thames

    Electric ferry brings zero-emission travel to the River Thames

    A fully electric passenger ferry has been launched on the River Thames.

    The Orbit Clipper, which will will plug in and charge overnight, will carry passengers between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe every 10 minutes.

    After being progressively phased into operation, the 150-passenger boat, with capacity for 100 bicycles, will cross the river every 10 minutes from each side on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.

    Project leaders said the ferry went towards the target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2050.

    Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: “This is a fantastic new transport option for Londoners – not only cleaner and greener than its predecessor, but providing quicker and more accessible journeys across the river for far more people.

    “Innovation and investment in travel infrastructure like this will help us navigate the challenges facing our environment and our economy as we continue building a fairer, greener, better London for everyone.”

    The new vessel comes ahead of London hosting the World Triathlon Championship Series next July.

    Ruth Daniels, CEO at British Triathlon, said the new boat would offer “a unique and efficient route to the start line” for competitors.

    She added: “With space for up to 100 bikes, the Orbit Clipper gives triathletes, commuters, tourists and anyone traveling across London a greener, more convenient way to get around.”

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  • Elon Musk’s X fined €120m by EU in first clash under new digital laws | Elon Musk

    Elon Musk’s X fined €120m by EU in first clash under new digital laws | Elon Musk

    Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has been fined €120m (£105m) after it was found in breach of new EU digital laws, in a ruling likely to put the European Commission on a collision course with the US billionaire and potentially Donald Trump.

    The breaches, under consideration for two years, included what the EU said was a “deceptive” blue tick verification badge given to users and the lack of transparency of the platform’s advertising.

    The commission rules require tech companies to provide a public list of advertisers to ensure the company’s structures guard against illegal scams, fake advertisements and coordinated campaigns in the context of political elections.

    In a third breach, the EU also concluded that X had failed to provide the required access to public data available to researchers, who typically keep tabs on contentious issues such as political content.

    The ruling by the European Commission brings to a close part of an investigation that started two years ago.

    The commission said on Friday it had found X in breach of transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), in the first ruling against the company since the laws regulating the content of social media and large tech platforms came into force in 2023.

    In December 2023, the commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether X may have breached the DSA in areas linked to the dissemination of illegal content and the effectiveness of the measures taken to combat information manipulation, for which the investigation continues.

    Under the DSA, X can be fined up to 6% of its worldwide revenue, which was estimated to be between $2.5bn (£1.9bn) and $2.7bn in 2024.

    Three other investigations remain, two of which relate to the content and the algorithms promoting content that changed after Musk bought Twitter in October 2022 and rebranded it X.

    The commission continues to investigate whether there have been breaches of laws prohibiting incitement to violence or terrorism.

    It is also looking into the mechanism for users to flag and report what they believe is illegal content.

    Senior officials said the fine broke down into three sections: €45m for introducing a “verification” blue tick that users could buy, leaving others unable to determine the authenticity of account holders; €35m for breaches of ad regulations; and €40m for data access breaches in relation to research.

    Before Musk took over Twitter, blue ticks were only awarded to verifiable account holders, including politicians, celebrities, public bodies and verified journalists in mainstream media and established new media, such as bloggers and YouTubers. After the takeover, users who subscribed to X Premium were then eligible for blue tick status.

    Henna Virkkunen, who is the executive vice-president at the European Commission responsible for tech regulation, said: “With the DSA’s first non-compliance decision, we are holding X responsible for undermining users’ rights and evading accountability.

    “Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU.”

    The ruling risks enraging Trump’s administration. Last week the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, said the EU must consider its tech regulations in order to get 50% tariffs on steel reduced.

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    His threats were branded “blackmail” by Teresa Ribera, the EU commissioner in charge of Europe’s green transition and antitrust enforcement.

    Senior EU officials said the ruling was independent of any pleadings by the US delegation in Brussels last week to meet trade ministers. They said the EU retained its “sovereign right” to regulate US tech companies, with 25 businesses including non-US companies such as TikTok coming under the DSA.

    Musk – who is on a path to become the world’s first trillionaire – has 90 days to come up with an “action plan” to respond to the fine but ultimately he is also free to appeal against any EU ruling, as others, such as Apple, have done in the past, taking their case to the European court of justice.

    At the same time, the EU has announced it has secured commitments from TikTok to provide advertising repositories to address the commission concerns raised in May about transparency.

    The DSA requires platforms to maintain an accessible and searchable repository of the ads running on their services to allow researchers and representatives of civil society “to detect scams, advertisements for illegal or age-inappropriate”.

    Senior officials said the phenomenon of fake political adverts or ads with fake celebrities cannot be studied unless the social media companies stick to the rules.

    X has been approached for comment. The EU said the company had been informed of the decision.

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  • Automated vehicles: latest UK government ‘call for evidence’ on the appropriate regulatory framework : Clyde & Co

    Automated vehicles: latest UK government ‘call for evidence’ on the appropriate regulatory framework : Clyde & Co

    Getting safety ‘right’ before automated vehicles (AVs), and their operating systems, are approved for road use and ensuring ongoing in-use safety are key goals in defining the necessary regulatory framework for AV deployment.

    Both are at the heart of the latest development from the government, this being a call for evidence issued on 4 December 2025 and open for responses until 5 March 2026. The new document is divided into two chapters covering each of these key goals and a series of associated technical matters summarised (non-exhaustively) below.

    All are significant and important issues. The description, at a recent motor insurance market meeting, of the call for evidence as a “mega-consultation” is far from an understatement.  This “mega-consultation” label is reinforced by the government’s document running to 79 pages and asking 125 questions.

    Chapter 1: “Getting AVs on the Road”

    • Type Approval: AVs will be required to meet technical and safety standards aligned with international (UNECE) regulations.

    • Authorisation requirements: These will ensure AVs can operate safely and legally without a driver. Each AV must be backed by an Authorised Self-Driving Entity (ASDE) responsible for safety and regulatory compliance throughout its lifecycle. ASDEs will be subject to authorisation requirements.

    • User-in-Charge (UIC): This refers to the ‘disengaged driver’ while the AV is driving itself. The requirements here will define the UIC’s responsibilities, including transition demands and training requirements.
    • No-User-in-Charge (NUIC) Licensing: Conditions will regulate operators running passenger services using vehicles without onboard safety ‘drivers’. Fully autonomous buses and smaller pod-style vehicles are typical use cases.
    • Insurance and data access: Existing legislation requires motor insurers to cover both conventional and automated driving. The call for evidence focuses on key questions around access to data stored in the vehicle’s Automated Driving System (ADS)  to enable claims adjusting and subrogated actions by motor insurers.

    Chapter 2: “Once AVs Are on the Road”

    • In-Use Regulatory Scheme (IURS): Requirements here will provide ongoing oversight and compliance monitoring – in respect of the ADS, with the keeper remaining responsible for general roadworthiness – and allow for enforcement via civil and regulatory sanctions.

    • Incident Investigation: Independent statutory inspectors will investigate AV-related incidents under a no-blame framework to improve road safety. This activity could be closely modelled on that of the existing rail and maritime investigation branches.

    • Cyber Security: Requirements will be developed to align with UN Regulations 155 and 156, addressing risks from connectivity and remote operations. Given that thousands of connected vehicles are already on the roads – although they are all conventional vehicles – it follows that some of the potentially systemic cyber risks arising from vehicle connectivity are already present in the current driving eco-system. Whether these are fully understood / evaluated is another matter.
    • Accessibility & Environment: Seeks evidence on inclusive design and environmental impacts, including end-of-life considerations.

    What happens next?

    The call for evidence runs (following consultations in the summer as analysed here) until 5 March 2026, inviting responses from industry stakeholders – which will of course include insurers and vehicle manufacturers – academics, road users, and accessibility groups. The responses received will inform future regulations to ensure the regulatory regime legal governing AV deployment is safe, equitable, and sustainable.

    The government has already referred to the necessary secondary regulations on matters set out in chapters 1 & 2 as the “main regs” for automated driving. All these “main regs” will be made under powers set out in the Automated Vehicle Act 2024.

    An AV timetable released by government earlier in the year envisaged the call for evidence on these “main regs” concluding by the end of 2025, with the next step towards implementing the “main regs” being a consultation on draft provisions in the second half of next year. This still feels like a realistic timetable despite the call for evidence emerging perhaps later than initially planned.

    Initial concluding thoughts

    The issues covered here are important for insurers interested in the development of AVs. That is not just all motor insurers – because cover for automated driving will be compulsory – but also casualty carriers offering product liability and cyber-related policies to manufacturers and software developers who will potentially be the ASDEs in the new regulatory framework.

    The approach to access to data by insurers could be among the most controversial points. The way forward, whether mandatory or otherwise, will require a careful balance of the interests of insurers and the importance to manufacturers of commercial confidentiality as well as respecting data protection principles.

    The purpose of this article is only to provide a high-level summary and we propose to address the detail of the chapters in further articles and events. Please contact any of the authors or your usual Clyde & Co contacts if you would like further information.

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