Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
HE INSTITUTIONS UNDER PRESSURE TO SHIFT CURRICULA AS ‘GREEN’ JOBS GROW IN NUMBER
As the world’s employment markets are shifting towards jobs that promote sustainability, prompted by concerns about limiting potential runaway climate change, higher education institutions are being encouraged to integrate green skills into curricula.
With major corporations within the European Union (EU) already required to submit sustainability reports on their exposure to and their impact on climate change and sustainability, and other jurisdictions to follow suit, demand for so-called ‘green jobs’ is rising.…
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL: THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY INITIATIVES IN HIGHER STEM EDUCATION
With its shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates, the United States is struggling to hire enough qualified professionals to meet the demands of many of domestic industries, the USA’s HE accreditation board ABET has noted. According to one estimate by the Washington DC-based Semiconductor Industry Association, in a report published in 2023, there will be a STEM shortage of approximately 1.4 million technicians, computer scientists and engineers in the US by 2030 (https://www.semiconductors.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SIA_July2023_ChippingAway_website.pdf…
WEST AFRICAN SAHEL COUNTRIES STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN HE SECTORS AS MIITARY RULERS FIGHT ISLAMISTS
Niger’s military government is insisting it has maintained higher education services despite international sanctions imposed on the west African country since the coup d’état of last July (2023). This has ruptured relations with western and some neighbouring countries, prompting concerns that Nigerien students might struggle to continue their studies abroad.…
BRITAIN LAUNCHES NEW NATIONAL WEALTH FUND BUT WILL IT GENERATE NET PRIVATE INVESTMENT?
Britain’s new Labour government has launched a National Wealth Fund (NWF), making good on a manifesto promise, although the new institution is – as the Treasury has admitted, a supercharged UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), not a new institution.
Rather, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced on October 14 that UKIB would become the NWF, with the same board, chair and CEO – John Flint, the former CEO of HSBC.…
FATF PLENERY LAUNCHES FIFTH MUTURAL EVALUATION ROUND WITH FINANCIAL INCLUSIVITY PUSH
The first FATF plenary under the presidency of Mexico’s Elisa de Anda Madrazo has launched the AML body’s fifth mutual evaluation round, while taking initial steps towards boosting inclusivity. For the first time, two external jurisdictions – Cayman Islands and Senegal – were invited to participate in the FATF plenary and working groups as guests, to “broaden the diversity of perspectives at the FATF,” said a post-meeting communiqué.…
CRYPTO IN CHINA RESTRICTED – BUT HONG KONG IS BUILDING LEGAL REGIME
Despite mainland China tightly restricting buying, selling, mining and holding of crypto-currency in 2021 (1), private holdings and peer-to-peer transactions remain legal and so the country remains a major crypto centre – and hence a virtual currency ML risk. Its largest autonomous special administrative region (SAR) Hong Kong is also pushing ahead with a fully legal and regulated crypto sector, with AML/CFT controls being rolled out.…
AUSTRALIA BITES BULLET ON AMLAUSTRALIA BITES BULLET ON AML
Australia has long been a laggard in AML/CFT, despite being a leading developed democracy – but its current Labor government has finally bitten the bullet on reform.
In September, it proposed an Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Amendment Bill 2024 (1).…
CDD, KYC AND DIGITALISATION DEVELOPED TO FIGHT INCREASINGLY SOPHISITICATED TECH-BASED FRAUDS
Securely onboarding customers is a significant cost for financial institutions. Technology is viewed as a panacea, but processes are not as effective as they could be, in part due to the tech itself, but also regulatory issues, such as over data sharing.…
TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY OF THE MOROCCAN TEXTILE SECTOR, TO ACHIEVE BOTH SUSTAINABILITY AND GUARANTEED EU STANDARDSTRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY OF THE MOROCCAN TEXTILE SECTOR, TO ACHIEVE BOTH SUSTAINABILITY AND GUARANTEED EU STANDARDS
The Moroccan clothing and textile sector is promoting itself to European and north American buyers, as well as Chinese investors, as a near-sourcing hub, which guarantees sustainable and ethical practices in its production.
This is a key message from the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH – L’Association Marocaine des Industries de Textile et de l’Habillement), as it prepares for its next Maroc in Mode 2024 expo in Casablanca from November 7-9.…
QUALIFICATIONS FRAUDS PROLIFERATE – WITH SCALLERS BLAMING INFLATION FOR DISHONESTY
Lying on CVs, fraudulent qualifications, ‘polygamous’ home-based working with unauthorised sidelines, and insider threats to companies from such hiring fraudsters, are occurring more frequently in job applications. In countries that suffered higher inflation post-Covid 19, the resulting ‘cost of living’ crisis is considered a motivator such sharp practices, while qualification fraud is being enabled by the relative ease of digitally altering confirmation documents, compared to hard copy originals.…