The UK government has initiated a consultation regarding the significance of current zero-emission vehicle targets, while the pledge to eliminate traditional petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and to ensure that new cars and vans are zero-emission by 2035 stays the same.

As per existing regulations, 33% of newly manufactured vehicles must be zero-emission by 2026, increasing to 80% by 2030. Gasoline, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid cars are not classified as ZEVs. In the first half of 2026, electric vehicles (EVs) made up 25% of new car registrations in the UK, falling short of the 33% target set for 2026, even though manufacturers have several compliance options available.

Heraeus indicates that hybrid vehicles (HEVs, which incorporate both a standard internal combustion engine and an electric motor) will probably be key beneficiaries. In the first half of 2026, HEVs represented 37.7% of registrations in the UK, whereas plug-in hybrids made up an additional 13%. This reflects the scenario in the European market, where hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) were the leading powertrain category in the first half of the year, representing 37.3% of EU registrations, as stated in the report.

As a result, increased regulatory flexibility might extend the demand for autocatalysts that contain palladium as buyers move from internal combustion engine cars to electric vehicles. This factor will merely slow the decrease in palladium demand within the automotive sector instead of stopping it, as the market keeps transitioning toward ZEVs.

source: bbc.co.uk

 

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong revealed a reassessment of the child benefit and parental leave program in his yearly speech on August 23. The government intends to implement steps to "facilitate Singaporeans who wish to have children in starting and nurturing families," he pointed out.

The population of Singapore is just above 6 million. In 2025, it recorded a historic low fertility rate of 0.87 children per woman, decreased from 0.97 in 2024. South Korea holds the world’s lowest rate at 0.8.

Demographers assert that a level of 2.1 is essential for sustaining a stable population without net immigration.

A decreasing birth rate, along with improvements in healthcare that are increasing life expectancy, has placed Singapore on course to become a "super-aging" society this year, characterized by the UN as a nation where over 21% of the population is aged 65 and above. By 2030, it's anticipated that one out of every four Singaporeans will achieve this threshold.

"We want all families to understand: should you choose to have children, the government supports you," Wong stated. "We will offer increased assistance for additional years."

source: ft.com

 

The report indicates that Perplexity's valuation after this funding round may surpass $30 billion. This is over 50% greater than the valuation of the startup when it secured funding a year prior. In September 2025, investors assessed Perplexity's value at $20 billion.

Perplexity was established in 2022, and one of its co-founders and CTO is Belarusian Denis Yarats. The startup is creating its own search engine powered by AI and aims to compete with Google.

According to The Information, Perplexity's yearly revenue has surpassed $750 million, rising from $250 million at the year's start. This is partly attributed to the effectiveness of the Perplexity Computer, an AI tool utilized for task automation, according to sources.

In an interview with CNBC, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas stated that the startup intends to become publicly traded in 2028. He stated this will occur no matter how the market responds to the IPOs of significant AI firms OpenAI and Anthropic.

source: theinformation.com

 

"The extended heat has worsened the outlook for Europe, and the European Union's forecast has been downgraded for the second consecutive month," the IGC report noted.

The wheat harvest in the UK is now anticipated to reach 12 million tonnes (down from 13.5 million tonnes), while the EU's wheat harvest is projected at 133.9 million tonnes (revised from 135.7 million tonnes). The projection for Russia is currently 88.4 million tonnes, revised from the earlier estimate of 89.8 million tonnes.

The IGC has reduced its worldwide corn production estimate for the 2026/27 crop year by 1 million tonnes to 1.305 billion tonnes.

In the EU, it is anticipated to hit 48.5 million tonnes (previously estimated at 53.8 million tonnes). In the meantime, the outlook for the US has been increased to 406.7 million tonnes from 405.9 million tonnes, and for African nations, to 97.8 million tonnes from 96.4 million tonnes.

source: igc.int

 

Ackman stated on his X that the Pershing Square Foundation acquired a building exceeding 37,000 square meters for the center. He has signed a contract to acquire another nearby building, which is currently utilized by Saturday Night Live as a studio. The organization will also obtain nearby unoccupied land along with development entitlements.

The Ackman Oxman Institute will be the name of the new research center, which will partner with the Mount Sinai hospital network along with various medical institutions and universities. Ackman stated, 'We aim to establish the largest institute globally for brain research, rehabilitation, restoration, human performance enhancement, and longevity." He mentioned that he and his wife intend to reveal another donation—“similar to or even greater” —but not in the shape of Pershing Square shares.

Ackman chose to establish the new medical center following his 26-year-old daughter, Lucy, experiencing a brain hemorrhage in February of this year. She was discovered 15 hours later on the floor of her apartment and astonishingly survived. Ackman credits this to his demand that physicians explore experimental therapies. Additionally, Neri Oxman's mother passed away due to Alzheimer's disease. In July, Pershing Square committed $260 million to acquire the properties.

source: bloomberg.com