Europe’s banks are in retreat from playing a global investment banking role, and this trend is likely to continue in the future. What will be the consequences and what should be the policy response?

By: Charles Goodhart and Dirk Schoenmaker Date: March 7, 2016

BRUEGEL

Highlights

• In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the market share of US investment banks is increasing, while that of their European counterparts is declining. We present evidence that US investment banks are on the verge of taking over pole position in European investment banking. Meanwhile, since 2015, Chinese investment banks have overtaken American and European investment banks in the Asia-Pacific market.

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BuzzFeed News’ investigation of investor-state dispute settlement provokes a call for change on Capitol Hill.

Originally posted on Sept. 29, 2016, at 11:56 a.m. Updated on Sept. 29, 2016, at 4:13 p.m.

Senators Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren, who seek to limit the scope of ISDS. BuzzFeed News; Getty

Citing a BuzzFeed News investigation, a dozen senators urged President Obama to remove a controversial element of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the massive trade deal the administration is pushing Congress to ratify in the coming months.

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Questions surround report of baby created using controversial mitochondrial replacement technique.

• Sara Reardon

28 September 2016 Article tools Rights & Permissions

Courtesy of New Hope Fertility Center

Team leader John Zhang and the ‘three-parent’ baby have made headlines across the world.

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ourworldindata – Levels of Trust by Country: ‘Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people?’ Possible Answers ‘Most people can be trusted’ or ‘Can’t be too careful’ – Max Roser¹

Correlates, Determinants & Consequences

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Global Witness

Land grabs are closer than you think. Holes in international law mean we have very little way of ensuring that our supply chains and savings don’t link us to land that has been illegally or violently taken.

Land grabbing crises in Asia and Africa are closer than you think. We’re occasionally made aware of this – of how Coca Cola’s sugar was linked to land seizures and human rights violations or how European banks and pension funds are financing Wilmar – the world’s biggest palm oil company – to grab land in Uganda, for example. But more often than not we are oblivious to the social and environmental footprint of our everyday life choices.

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Report / July 7, 2016

Global Witness

How Cambodia’s ruling family are pulling the strings on the economy and amassing vast personal fortunes with extreme consequences for the population.

Few prime ministers have served for as long as Cambodia’s Hun Sen, in power for 30 years. Even when democratically voted out he has refused to step down, and has systematically quashed political opposition including through the murder, torture and arbitrary imprisonment of his critics.

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• Charlie Campbell / Beijing @charliecamp6ell

Time.com 4:40 AM ET

STR/AFP/Getty Images An antiterrorism force including public-security police and the armed police attend an antiterrorism joint exercise in Hami, northwest China’s Xinjiang region, on July 2, 2013

Insecurity in China’s far Western province of Xinjiang throws up obstacles for Xi’s signature “One Belt, One Road” initiative

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a mosque in China’s western Ningxia province. The leader of the officially atheist Chinese Communist Party (CCP) praised the local Muslim community’s rich cultural contribution and efforts alleviating poverty. “Religions in our country, the endemic ones and those from abroad, have become deeply embedded in the Chinese civilization, whose history covers more than 5,000 years,” Xi said in Ningxia’s capital Yinchuan, reports the state-backed China Daily newspaper.

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One Belt, One Road – business opportunities from China’s investment strategy

The One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative creates significant opportunities for organisations to participate in a range of projects, especially those involved in the infrastructure, construction, heavy equipment, energy, water and related industries.  Our report, One Belt, One Road: an economic roadmap attempts to make sense of this programme, addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by this important global development policy.

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CSIS Southeast Asia SIT-REP

This issue brings you insight into the role of diplomacy and security in U.S. policy following the arbitral tribunal ruling on the South China Sea, an overview of Cambodia’s deteriorating political situation, analysis on the challenges in Myanmar’s peace process awaiting Aung San Suu Kyi, discussions with Philippine foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay and Japanese defense minister Tomomi Inada, and much more. Links will take you to the full publications, multimedia, or to registration for upcoming programs when available. To jump to a section, select one of the following:

• Congressional Testimony on South China Sea
• Commentaries on Cambodia

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