WHO: Will PABS Bureau sideline South's proposals for standard contracts? (PRIV)
(Sangeeta Shashikant and Nithin Ramakrishnan, London/Kochi)
As the new year begins, there is considerable anticipation surrounding the content of the Bureau's forthcoming draft text for the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex.

UN: Global economy stays resilient, but tariff pressures cloud outlook (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Global economic output is projected to expand by 2.7 per cent in 2026, marking a marginal slowdown from the 2.8 per cent expected in 2025, according to the United Nations.

UN: Global trade holds firm in 2025, sharp slowdown looms (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Global trade remained resilient in 2025, expanding by an estimated 3.8 per cent despite heightened trade policy uncertainty and higher United States tariffs, according to the United Nations.