Media OutReach
Global Governance Report Highlights Future Shock Risks as Democratic Accountability Slips and State Capacity Plateaus
The BGI, presented Wednesday by an international group of governance scholars, analyses measurable benchmarks of democratic accountability across 145 countries.
On a 100-point scale, the global score for democratic accountability slipped slightly from 65 in 2000 to 64 in 2023, the most recent data used in the project. The wave of democratisation observed in the closing decades of the last century has stalled in the last 15 years. Democratic accountability fell in 54 countries while it improved in 48 countries.
Yet the BGI — a collaborative project of the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Berlin’s Hertie School and the Berggruen Institute, a think tank headquartered in Los Angeles — captures remarkably widespread growth in provision of public goods.
Encompassing healthcare, education, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and conditions to foster employment and rising prosperity, public goods improved in 135 of the countries studied, while declining slightly in just four. The global average jumped from 58 to 69 points from 2000 to 2023.
The third component of what the BGI authors refer to as the “governance triangle” is state capacity, defined as the ability to tax, borrow and spend, control territory, operate scrupulous, competent bureaucracies and administer predictable rule of law. The index finds the global average ticking up from 48 to 49 points; 56 countries had increased state capacity while 57 declined.
“What does it tell us about the world ahead?” Prof. Helmut K. Anheier, a Luskin School sociologist and BGI principal investigator, asked during the public release of the 2026 BGI on the UCLA campus.
“Countries are not really improving in their governance performance in significant ways. … We’re not really having forward-looking investment in governance capacity. There is considerable inertia.”
The largest improvements across all three BGI components occurred in Gambia, which the report groups with “low-capacity developing states.” These states score low across the board, particularly in the provision of public goods. This cluster constitutes the poorest countries with the least developed economies, which face the most serious challenges.
“They have the greatest exposure to likely future crises, whether it’s global warming, whether it’s a new pandemic, whether it’s another financial crisis, whether it’s the impact of AI,” Anheier said. “And they have the least capacity to respond to it.”
Bhutan, Georgia, Iraq and Tunisia — which make up the remaining top five countries with the largest improvements in the BGI — are classified as “capacity-constrained states.” They tend to be middle-income with struggling democracies. These countries score higher across the board than the low-capacity developing states, but their state capacity tends to lag compared to public goods and democratic accountability.
The capacity-constrained states risk falling into “a cycle that erodes the institutions they have built,” Anheier said.
“Consolidated democratic states”, a cluster of most of the world’s richest countries, which score highly in all three BGI components, have to confront domestic complacency. Further, in the United States and some others, “political dysfunction” is leaving mounting problems unaddressed and risking erosion of state capacity, Anheier said.
At the other end of the spectrum, the country with the farthest fall on the BGI since 2000 is Nicaragua. Second from last is Venezuela, followed by Hong Kong, Hungary and Turkey. The rest of the bottom 10 are Russia, Iran, Poland, El Salvador and Belarus.
Since 2023, which is the last year of data available for the study, Poland and Hungary have both seen government changes via election, despite serious democratic backsliding. Both had fallen out of the group of “consolidated democratic states” by 2023 and moved into the capacity constrained cluster.
The other eight countries at the bottom of the list are all places that once had some semblance of competitive elections, but by now have little or no remaining pretense of democracy. They are grouped by the authors among the “authoritarian and hybrid states”, which have by far the lowest democratic accountability but outperform even some struggling democracies in delivering public goods.
These regimes have tended toward faster economic growth in the period observed. But that seeming prosperity, typically fueled by extractive industries or overreliance on exports, masks “serious institutional weaknesses in these countries, including divided elites,” Anheier said.
Relatively few countries — 21 of the 145 — changed enough for better or worse to be classified in a new group by the end of the 23-year study period.
“Movement between them is rare, but this is largely what we should expect,” said Stella Ghervas, a UCLA historian on a panel of experts who discussed the BGI findings Wednesday. “Government systems are not created in a moment. They evolve over long periods of time.”
Local conditions shaping governance in each country can rarely be quickly reset through political will or even external shocks, Joseph C. Saraceno, a Luskin School data scientist and BGI co-author, said Wednesday.
“Despite all the talk of major transformations happening in global affairs, the underlying configuration of governance simply doesn’t appear to change very much,” Saraceno said. “We use the term inertia to describe this reoccurring pattern. In other words, the structures of global governance are resistant to movement as the conditions beneath them are quite sticky: political economies, demographics, resource endowments. These are deeply layered, and they push each country toward the world that it already inhabits.”
But the challenges lurking around the world may not wait for the slow and difficult processes of political change and development to catch up.
“With the few exceptions of those countries in the consolidated democratic world,” Anheier said, “the great majority of the countries in the world is ill-prepared for the future.”
The full report, ‘ 2026 Berggruen Governance Index – The Four Worlds of Governance‘, can be viewed and downloaded from the website of the UCLA’s Luskin School.
Frank Fuhrig, DNA
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This text and the accompanying material (photos and graphics) are an offer from the Democracy News Alliance, a close co-operation between Agence France-Presse (AFP, France), Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA, Italy), The Canadian Press (CP, Canada), Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa, Germany) and PA Media (PA, UK). All recipients can use this material without the need for a separate subscription agreement with one or more of the participating agencies. This includes the recipient’s right to publish the material in own products.
The DNA content is an independent journalistic service that operates separately from the other services of the participating agencies. It is produced by editorial units that are not involved in the production of the agencies’ main news services. Nevertheless, the editorial standards of the agencies and their assurance of completely independent, impartial and unbiased reporting also apply here.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
RAM hosts Hong Kong investor briefing as New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa attracts growing global interest
The event comes amid renewed momentum for New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) Visa, following changes introduced in April 2025 to simplify the program and attract more international capital into the New Zealand economy. As of 5 May 2026, Immigration New Zealand had received 688 applications under the new settings, representing a potential total minimum investment of $4.015 billion.
The growing demand reflects a broader shift in global wealth movement, as high-net-worth individuals increasingly seek jurisdictions that offer political stability, transparent governance, quality of life and long-term optionality for their families and capital. For many investors, New Zealand’s appeal lies not only in residency access, but also in the opportunity to participate in investments that support business growth, innovation and economic resilience.
Mr Scott Wehl, Founder of RAM Group and Director of RAM New Zealand, said the Hong Kong briefing provided an important forum for partners and investors to better understand the investment and migration opportunities available through the AIP programme.
“New Zealand continues to attract strong interest from global investors seeking stability, transparency and long-term opportunity,” said Mr Wehl.
“Our Hong Kong briefing was designed to help partners and investors better understand the opportunities that the AIP program offers, and how RAM’s income-focused strategies can support both investor objectives and the broader New Zealand economy.”
Supporting New Zealand’s real economy through private credit
A key focus of the briefing was the role private credit can play in supporting New Zealand’s real economy. Private credit can help broaden the country’s business funding ecosystem by providing an additional source of secured, non-bank capital for businesses seeking funding for growth, working capital, expansion or other productive business needs.
The RAM New Zealand Credit Fund is an approved managed fund under the AIP Growth category and may also be included as part of a Balanced category investment portfolio. The Fund is designed to provide investors with consistent income and capital stability through exposure to secured, asset-backed credit investments in New Zealand.
Through this strategy, RAM seeks to direct offshore investor capital into productive domestic investment while maintaining a disciplined focus on risk management, downside protection and portfolio diversification.
“The RAM New Zealand Credit Fund provides an AIP-aligned investment pathway focused on secured, asset-backed New Zealand credit,” said Mr Wehl.
“For investors, the Fund is designed to deliver regular income and capital stability, with liquidity aligned to AIP investment timeframes. For New Zealand, the strategy can support the real economy by directing offshore investor capital into domestic private credit and helping provide secured lending to New Zealand businesses.”
RAM’s credit approach is centred on disciplined credit selection and robust portfolio construction. The firm’s New Zealand credit capability is supported by a highly experienced team with more than 200 years of combined credit market experience, guided by leading credit experts and senior leaders with deep knowledge of New Zealand’s financial markets.
“Our approach is grounded in strong governance, prudent credit assessment and a clear focus on capital preservation, which is particularly important for investors seeking stable, income-focused outcomes across market cycles,” said Mr Wehl.
In addition to the RAM New Zealand Credit Fund, RAM also offers the RAM New Zealand Bond Fund, which may be included as part of a Balanced category investment portfolio. The Fund invests in a portfolio of floating-rate, investment-grade bonds issued by established banks and New Zealand entities, and is designed to prioritise capital stability while generating regular income.
With a long-term commitment to New Zealand, RAM will continue to leverage its international presence, investment capability and experience in income-focused strategies to support global investors and contribute to the continued development and diversification of New Zealand’s capital markets.
Hashtag: #RAM
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Real Asset Management
Real Asset Management (RAM) is an alternative asset manager, providing investment solutions in Credit, Real Estate, and Private Equity markets, for institutions and wealthy families globally. RAM was founded in 2010 and has a pan-Asia presence of 7 offices in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila.
RAM provides more than 25 investment strategies and has a team of over 230 finance professionals managing over NZ$9.8bn in assets. RAM is registered as a financial services provider in New Zealand (FSP1011247). We also provide a global set of investment solutions through our group companies licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL 484263), and the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong (CE BGL803).
For more information about RAM New Zealand, please visit 
https://ramgroup.co.nz/
Media OutReach
Amplexd Therapeutics Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Investigational EGCg-Based HPV Therapy
High-risk HPV is the primary driver of cervical cancer, which remains a significant public health burden, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region. High-risk HPV prevalence amongst Chinese women is estimated at 12.8%[1] with China representing 23% of cervical cancer cases globally[2].
The randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study is being conducted at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in collaboration with Prince of Wales Hospital, with recruitment currently underway. The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Amplexd’s investigational therapy in women diagnosed with ASC-US and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) alongside confirmed hr-HPV infection. Clinical data are expected in Q1 2027.
Amplexd’s investigational therapy is a proprietary, shelf-stable vaginal suppository formulation containing epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), a bioactive compound derived from green tea, designed for localized self-administration at the site of disease.
“Currently, there is a significant unmet medical need for localized, non-surgical therapies specifically indicated for low-grade lesions associated with high-risk HPV. The standard of care is largely limited to increased surveillance and ‘watchful waiting,’ which can impose both psychosocial and financial burdens on patients,” said Alia Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Amplexd. “Moreover, in many resource-constrained settings including large swaths of Asia-Pacific, access to surgical intervention and specialized follow-up care is limited. Previously published, peer-reviewed clinical and preclinical studies have explored the use of EGCg-based topical formulations in the treatment of HPV and cervical lesions. Building on this body of research, we developed a shelf-stable formulation designed for self-administration and early therapeutic intervention.”
The Phase 2 trial will evaluate endpoints including lesion regression, viral clearance, and overall safety profile, with the goal of generating data on the potential for early therapeutic intervention in hr-HPV-associated disease.
Additional information about the study can be found at www.drugoffice.gov.hk under trial identifier eCTS-2026-021 and at www.clinicaltrials.gov under trial identifier NCT07572396.
Important Information
This clinical trial has been authorized by the Hong Kong Department of Health. Participation will be subject to eligibility criteria and informed consent. This investigational therapy has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and its safety and efficacy have not been established.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding clinical development plans and potential benefits of the investigational therapy. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Amplexd Therapeutics, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by law.
Cervical Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends in China: The Role of Screening,
Cancer Letters, Volume 642 (2026) 218286, ISSN 0304-3835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2026.218286.
Hashtag: #AmplexdTherapeutics #hrHPV #HPVtherapy #HPV #cervicaldysplasia #LSIL #ASCUS #Phase2clinicaltrial #womenshealth #EGCg #cervicalcancer #investigationaltherapy #clinicaltrial
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Amplexd Therapeutics, Inc.
Amplexd Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company pioneering science-driven therapies for women’s health and related diseases with high unmet need. Its pipeline leverages novel mechanisms and accessible delivery modalities to expand treatment options for patients.
Media OutReach
The 2026 VinFuture Prize Receives More Than 1,800 Nominations as Its Global Nomination Network Expands Fourteenfold After Six Years
At the close of the nomination period for the 2026 season, the VinFuture Prize, a global science and technology prize recorded 1,819 nominations from around the world, supported by a network of more than 17,000 nominators spanning 117 countries and territories.
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 May 2026 – After six seasons, the VinFuture Prize has not only expanded its influence in the international scientific community, but has also affirmed its position as a prestigious global prize dedicated to identifying and honoring breakthroughs with profound significance for the future of humanity.
A Global Network Bringing Together More Than 17,000 Outstanding Minds
This year’s VinFuture nominations span a wide range of critical fields, including medicine and healthcare (38.4%), environmental and earth sciences (17%), energy, transportation, and construction (15%), food and agriculture (10.6%), as well as other scientific and technological disciplines (19%).
At the same time, the official nominator network of the VinFuture Prize has continued to expand substantially, reaching 17,154 nominators from 117 countries and territories across all five continents. This represents an increase of approximately 16% compared with the 2025 season and a more than fourteenfold expansion compared with the inaugural season in 2021. Moreover, the number of countries and territories represented within the nominator network has nearly doubled over the past six years.
Notably, 1,415 nominators for the 2026 VinFuture Prize are ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited researchers. Nearly 8,000 experts are affiliated with leading universities, research institutes, and scientific organizations worldwide, including Australian Academy of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States), Stanford University (United States), Harvard University (United States), University of California, Berkeley (United States), University of Oxford (United Kingdom), National University of Singapore (Singapore), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), among others.
Participating on a voluntary basis, these nominators play a vital role in identifying and recommending outstanding scientific innovations capable of generating meaningful and lasting improvements to the lives of billions of people worldwide. They also contribute significantly to extending the global reach of the VinFuture Prize within the international scientific community and promoting cross-border academic connections. Several distinguished nominators have traveled to Vietnam during the 2024 and 2025 VinFuture Sci-Tech Weeks to connect and exchange knowledge directly with the Vietnamese scientific community.
“The continued growth in both the number of nominations and our network of more than 17,000 nominators reflects the increasing confidence that leading scientists and prestigious institutions around the world place in VinFuture Prize and its mission to identify and honor scientific and technological innovations with meaningful impact on humanity. This momentum also reinforces our commitment to upholding rigorous and transparent evaluation standards, while advancing a long-term vision of connecting global intellect in pursuit of a better future for all,” said Dr. Thai-Ha Le, Managing Director of the VinFuture Foundation.
Following the conclusion of the nomination period, the Pre-Screening Committee will begin the process of evaluating and selecting the most outstanding scientific works for consideration by the VinFuture Prize Council in the final judging round, which is expected to continue through early September 2026. All nominations will undergo a rigorous multi-layer evaluation process based on stringent international standards to ensure the highest levels of scientific integrity, fairness, and transparency.
The core evaluation criteria include the degree of scientific and technological advancement, the potential for meaningful impact on human life, as well as the scale and long-term sustainability of the proposed innovations.
Vietnam’s Growing Imprint on the Global Innovation Map
After six seasons, the VinFuture Prize has firmly established its reputation and standing within the global science and technology landscape. Several VinFuture Laureates have subsequently been honored by some of the world’s most prestigious scientific awards, including the Nobel Prize, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, and the Breakthrough Prize, demonstrating VinFuture’s ability to recognize, at an early stage, innovations with foundational significance for the future of humanity.
Notable examples include Prof. Omar Yaghi (2021 VinFuture Special Prize; 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry); Dr. Katalin Karikó and Prof. Drew Weissman (2021 VinFuture Grand Prize; 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine); Drs. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper (2022 VinFuture Special Prize; 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry); Prof. Geoffrey Hinton (2024 VinFuture Grand Prize; 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics); as well as Prof. Yoshua Bengio, Prof. Yann LeCun, Prof. Geoffrey Hinton, Mr. Jensen Huang, and Prof. Fei-Fei Li (2024 VinFuture Grand Prize; 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering). Additional examples include Prof. Daniel Drucker, Prof. Joel Habener, Prof. Jens Juul Holst, and Assoc. Prof. Svetlana Mojsov (2023 VinFuture Special Prize), who later received the 2025 Breakthrough Prize.
Beyond recognizing transformative scientific achievements, VinFuture has become a point of convergence for knowledge, collaboration, and the aspiration to serve humanity. Over the course of six seasons, VinFuture has contributed to shaping a more open, connected, and inspiring scientific ecosystem, while positioning Vietnam as an increasingly important destination on the global innovation map.
Hashtag: #VinFuture
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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