Life Sciences analysis: Gareth Macdonald, contributing writer to Regulatory Affairs Professional Society’s (RAPS) publication Regulatory Focus, discusses the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) report on the first five years of its PRIority Medicines (PRIME) scheme and the drug industry’s reactions to it.

An investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) has uncovered that Dalton Anderson, Alvin Russell and Sinclair Tucker used Vision Christian Ministries (VCM) as a front to conceal their drug smuggling operation, which saw up to £2m of cannabis being sold in the UK. The cannabis was trafficked from Jamaica to the UK via Birmingham Airport. All three were all charged with conspiracy to import cannabis and were convicted at Birmingham Crown Court in November 2022. Anderson, Russell and Tucker and have been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, five years’ imprisonment, and two years’ imprisonment (suspended) respectively.

Drug trafficking describes the organised production, importation, exportation, supply or distribution of controlled drugs for financial or commercial gain, usually on a non‑personal-use scale. In legal practice it is an umbrella, non-technical term covering a range of statutory “drug trafficking offences” or “drug supply offences”. In England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, relevant conduct is mainly criminalised under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (for example, supplying, offering to supply, possession with intent to supply, producing, importing or exporting controlled drugs). In Ireland, equivalent offences are principally contained in the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977–2016 and related regulations. Across all four jurisdictions, aggravating features typically associated with drug trafficking include commercial quantities, involvement in organised crime, cross‑border activity, use of minors or exploitation of vulnerable persons, and the presence of weapons or violence. Drug trafficking is central to proceeds of crime, confiscation and sentencing practice, attracting severe custodial penalties and asset recovery measures. The term is widely used by courts, prosecutors and enforcement agencies in case law, charging decisions and evidential analyses, even where the precise offence charged is framed in narrower statutory language.

The European Commission has published a report on the current challenges faced when conducting combined studies and potential future methods to streamline the regulatory landscape for drug-device clinical studies. With patients as the ultimate beneficiaries, the COMBINE project is an EU initiative addressing combined studies, which involves studies in which medicinal products are assessed together with medical devices or in vitro diagnostics. The purpose of the project is to streamline regulatory processes and cut the time needed to get innovative, and personalised treatments to patients. The COMBINE project was initiated to address the issues linked to the operational interface between three EU regulations—Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 (EU Clinical Trials Regulation); Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR)) and Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR)).

A building specifically designed for the storage in dry conditions of used nuclear fuel from the operation of a NPP.

Storage of spent fuel in air or an inert gas rather than water.

A dry close is when a equity'>private equity firm raises money for a fund early on in the cycle, but then agrees to not levy any management fees on the money raised from its limited partners until it actually begins investing in portfolio companies or other assets.

Law360: Grammy-winning singer Dua Lipa's chart-topping song 'Levitating' did not infringe a 1979 disco song, a New York federal judge ruled on 27 March 2025, saying a combination of a descending chord progression and musical note in the older work was not protectable under copyright law.

The Home Office’s guide on electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and dual British or Irish citizens confirms that, from 25 February 2026, dual British or Irish citizens travelling to the UK may be refused boarding if they do not hold one of the required documents: a valid UK passport, a valid Irish passport or a valid passport containing a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode. However, in a last-minute amendment on 20 February 2026, the Home Office has amended the guide further to state that, under temporary guidance, carriers may allow travel where a passenger presents an expired UK passport issued in 1989 or later together with a valid passport from a nationality eligible for an ETA, provided the personal details on both passports match. The decision to allow travel still remains at the carrier’s discretion. Individuals who have previously held a UK passport may also apply for an emergency travel document.

In a letter to the 3million/ILPA and Britain in Europe, the Home Office has confirmed that it has amended its guidance on Dual citizens to provide that EEA and Swiss citizens who obtained pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and have subsequently obtained British citizenship will still be able to travel to the UK on their EEA/Swiss passport or ID card, provided that they have updated their UKVI account with details of their current passport and their EUSS status is still showing as valid. The letter also rejects the organisations' requests for delayed implementation of and mitigations to the main requirement for British citizens who are also dual citizens of other countries to travel to the UK on either their British passport of a certificate of the right of abode.

Civil nuclear related goods, information, software and technology that could be used for developing a nuclear weapon.

Last updated 23 March 2026. This tracker looks at commercial companies listing on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market with a dual or multiple class share structure (DCSS) where one class of share has weighted voting rights and includes a summary of the rights attached to the weighted voting rights shares. A DCSS allows a founder shareholder to retain voting control over a listed company where one class of unlisted share or a special ‘golden share’ is given enhanced or weighted voting rights. Listed companies with a dual or multiple class share structure The table below sets out details of commercial companies that have listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market with a dual or multiple class share structure. Company Date of relevant events Share structure and holders of weighted voting rights share(s) on admission Summary of rights of weighted voting rights shares/special share on admission Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc 5 October 2021—Admission to the standard listing segment29 July 2024—moved to the equity shares (transition) category6 November 2024—moved to the equity shares (commercial