Regulatory Compliance

SGS-TÜV Saar Listed as KBA-Authorized Body for GRA Training

Sulzbach – September 16, 2026 -- SGS-TÜV Saar GmbH has been added to the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt's (KBA) official register of authorized Technical Services for conducting GRA training, expanding its regulatory training portfolio for the automotive sector.

KBA grants SGS-TÜV Saar authorization for GRA compliance training

GRA refers to approval-relevant requirements tied to automated and connected vehicles, a regulatory category increasingly central to modern vehicle homologation. The listing allows SGS-TÜV Saar to formally deliver training on these approval and evaluation processes to manufacturers, suppliers, and other automotive industry stakeholders.

China Hits 5.39M Valid Invention Patents, Leads PCT Filings 7th Year

Beijing – September 16, 2026 -- China now holds more than 5.39 million valid domestic invention patents and 50.82 million valid registered trademarks, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced at the China Intellectual Property Annual Conference in Beijing.

China extends seven-year lead in global PCT patent filings

CNIPA confirmed the country has topped the world in Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications for seven consecutive years, cementing its position as the largest source of cross-border patent filings globally. The administration also ranks among the top filers of industrial designs under the Hague System and international trademarks under the Madrid System.

EU's 2028 Reusable Cup Mandate Exposes Washing Capacity Gap

Hwaseong, South Korea -- The European Union's September 16, 2026 deadline requiring food service outlets to offer reusable packaging for takeaway is exposing a washing infrastructure gap that could determine compliance across the bloc.

EU packaging waste hit 79.7 million tonnes in 2023

The EU generated 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, equal to 177.8 kg per citizen, with only 42.1% of plastic packaging recycled. Global disposable cup demand is projected to reach 491 billion units by 2028, while the UK alone consumes 7 million cups daily, generating 30,000 tonnes of cup waste annually.

DUH: Mittelplate Oil Rig Contributes Just 0.2% to Schleswig-Holstein Budget

Berlin – September 16, 2026 -- The Mittelplate oil platform in the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage site generated just 0.2 percent of Schleswig-Holstein's state budget in 2025, according to a new analysis by German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH).

Harbour Energy paid 45 million euros in extraction levies against a 21.9 billion euro state budget

British operator Harbour Energy paid 45 million euros in so-called extraction levies to the state of Schleswig-Holstein for 2025 oil production at Mittelplate. Measured against the state's total budget revenue of roughly 21.9 billion euros, that payment amounts to only about 0.2 percent, DUH said. The analysis draws on new figures Harbour Energy submitted during an ongoing court case brought by DUH against the platform's main operating plan.

Clean Hydrogen Investment Tops $130 Billion as 570 Projects Advance

Brussels – September 16, 2026 -- Committed investment in clean hydrogen has surpassed USD 130 billion globally, backing 6.9 Mtpa of capacity across more than 570 projects, according to the Hydrogen Council's Global Hydrogen Compass 2026 report co-authored with McKinsey & Company.

Ninety percent of tracked projects are already under construction or operational

Global operational capacity nearly doubled over the past year and is projected to double again in 2027 as projects under construction come online, the report states. The analysis draws on data from over 570 projects and perspectives from roughly 70 global CEOs.

NatGold Digital Launches European Marketing Push for NATG Token

Coral Gables, Fla. – September 16, 2026 -- NatGold Digital Ltd. has launched its first major regional marketing activation in Europe for the NatGold Token (NATG), engaging Germany-based bull markets media GmbH to lead the campaign under the direction of 78X Marketing Group.

78X Marketing Group taps bull markets media to spearhead European rollout

78X Marketing Group, which oversees NatGold Digital's global marketing operations, selected bull markets media GmbH to run the Company's educational and market-awareness program across Europe. Bull markets media brings a financial-media network, digital marketing infrastructure and investor communities with experience in both commodity and cryptocurrency markets.

FP Markets Secures Category 5 License from UAE's CMA

Limassol – – September 16, 2026 -- Global multi-asset broker FP Markets has obtained a Category 5 license from the United Arab Emirates' Capital Markets Authority (CMA), formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), marking its formal entry into the UAE market.

FP Markets gains authorization to solicit clients across Dubai and the wider Emirates

The license, held by group entity FP Markets MENA Securities L.L.C. S.O.C., permits the broker to conduct marketing, promotional and client acquisition activities throughout Dubai and the UAE. The Australian-founded broker joins a growing list of brokers, fintechs and financial service providers establishing regulated bases in the UAE to build regional client rosters.

TP Named Frost & Sullivan APAC CX Management Company of the Year 2026

San Antonio – September 16, 2026 -- Frost & Sullivan has named TP its 2026 Asia-Pacific Customer Experience Management Services Company of the Year, citing the company's AI orchestration framework and operational scale across the region.

Frost & Sullivan benchmarks TP on innovation and customer impact

The consultancy's evaluation assessed TP across two core dimensions: visionary innovation and performance, and customer impact. Krishna Baidya, Vice President of the ICT Practice at Frost & Sullivan, said TP is moving AI from experimentation into governed, measurable operations at scale, combining orchestration capability with regional delivery depth and operational discipline.

ZeroRisk Raises $10M Series A to Scale Merchant Cyber-Risk Platform

Dublin – September 16, 2026 -- ZeroRisk, an Irish cybersecurity firm serving payment providers, has closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by MiddleGame Ventures, with participation from existing backer Elkstone.

ZeroRisk targets tripled revenue in 2026 as contracted programs move to deployment

The company, founded in 2023, expects to triple its revenue in 2026 as existing contracted programs enter full deployment and its international client base expands. ZeroRisk already works with Bank of America, Global Payments, Checkout.com and Trust Payments, providing banks and payment service providers a portfolio-wide view of merchant cyber risk.

Insilico Doses First Patient in Phase III Trial of AI-Discovered IPF Drug

Cambridge – – September 16, 2026 -- Insilico Medicine (HKEX: 3696) has dosed the first patient in GENESIS-IPF-3, a Phase III trial of Rentosertib, marking what the company calls the world's first late-stage clinical study of a drug candidate discovered and developed using generative AI.

Peking and Shanghai hospitals simultaneously enroll first patients

The dosing occurred at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, with Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital enrolling its own first patient on the same day. Professor Zuojun Xu of Peking Union Medical College Hospital serves as Leading Principal Investigator, with Academician Nanshan Zhong and President Chang Chen of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital as Co-Leading PIs.