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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the current legal framework on money laundering control in the insurance sector. Essentially, this examination is premised on the interrogation of whether it is still appropriate for Mauritius to apply such stringent, opaque and unyielding Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism norms and rules on general insurance when developed nations such as the UK and Singapore have done away with them for a more effective combat against money laundering. It would also be assessed why the financial services commission (FSC) is not able to draw inspiration from its British and Singaporean counterparts in fighting money laundering more effectively. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses the doctrinal legal research methodology which is colloquially described as "black-letter law" approach. It is backed up by a contextual legal analysis that is based on an analysis of relevant legal provisions. It relies ground experience from the insurance industry through the experience of the authors. A comparative approach is used with Singapore and the UK as case studies given that there are significant commonalities to the Mauritian jurisdiction as well as useful differences. Findings: It is observed that a move towards a de-regulation of the legal framework on money laundering in the insurance sector with a more relaxed approach is more effective for the Mauritian insurance sector. Evidence is drawn from the Singaporean and British models. A re-structuring of the FSC of Mauritius is also warranted for such an approach to be adopted. Originality/value: This paper is among the first academic contribution that proposes a de-regulation and the adoption of a relaxed approach of and by the Mauritian Insurance Industry for a more effective combat against money laundering. It serves as a legal foundational basis for further research in this direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether financial derivatives usage impacts firm value in seven developed countries from 2007 to 2016. We rely on textual analysis to identify derivatives users and address the potential reverse causality problem through propensity score matching and the difference‐in‐differences approach. Empirical findings suggest that the use of derivatives has a negative effect on firm value. Interestingly, we observe asymmetric valuation effects for specific countries when comparing firms that adopt derivatives with those that abandon them. US, UK, and Australian firms adopting derivatives experience a significant decrease in their valuation. Contrary to expectations, this adverse effect diminishes and may become insignificant at best when firms choose to abandon derivatives. Furthermore, most of the significant value effects disappear when using the industry relative valuation measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midlife, beginning at 40 years and extending to 65 years, a range that encompasses the late reproductive to late menopausal stages, is a unique time in women's lives, when hormonal and physical changes are often accompanied by psychological and social evolution. Access to sexual health and sexual well-being (SHSW) services, which include the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, contraception and the support of sexual function, pleasure and safety, is important for the health of midlife women, their relationships and community cohesion. The objective was to use the socio-ecological model to synthesise the barriers and enablers to SHSW services for midlife women in high-income countries. A systematic review of the enablers and barriers to women (including trans-gender and non-binary people) aged 40–65 years accessing SHSW services in high-income countries was undertaken. Four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed publications. Findings were thematically extracted and reported in a narrative synthesis. Eighty-one studies were included; a minority specifically set out to study SHSW care for midlife women. The key barriers that emerged were the intersecting disadvantage of under-served groups, poor knowledge, about SHSW, and SHSW services, among women and their healthcare professionals (HCPs), and the over-arching effect of stigma, social connections and psychological factors on access to care. Enablers included intergenerational learning, interdisciplinary and one-stop women-only services, integration of SHSW into other services, peer support programmes, representation of minoritised midlife women working in SHSW, local and free facilities and financial incentives to access services for under-served groups. Efforts are needed to enhance education about SHSW and related services among midlife women and their healthcare providers. This increased education should be leveraged to improve research, public health messaging, interventions, policy development and access to comprehensive services, especially for midlife women from underserved groups. Plain language summary: Sexual health and sexual wellbeing services for midlife women in high income countries Midlife, beginning at 40 years and extending to 65 years, a range that encompasses the late reproductive to late menopausal stages, is a unique time in women's lives. Access to Sexual Health and Sexual Wellbeing (SHSW) services, which include the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, contraception and the support of sexual function, pleasure and safety, is important for the health of midlife women, their relationships and community cohesion. The objective of this systematic review was to use the socio-ecological model to synthesise the barriers and enablers to SHSW services for midlife women in high income countries. Eighty-one studies were included; a minority specifically set out to study SHSW care for midlife women. The key barriers that emerged were the intersecting disadvantage of under-served groups, poor knowledge, about SHSW, and SHSW services, among women and their HealthCare Professionals (HCPs), and the over-arching effect of stigma, social connections, and psychological factors on access to care. Enablers included intergenerational learning, interdisciplinary and one-stop women-only services, integration of SHSW into other services, peer support programmes, representation of minoritised midlife women working in SHSW, local and free facilities, and financial incentives for under-served groups to access services. The appetite for education about SHSW and SHSW services among midlife women and their HCPs should be capitalised upon, and utilised to improve research, public health messaging, interventions and access to holistic services, particularly for midlife women from under-served groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the complex landscape of climate finance, assessing the adequacy, predictability, and implications for sustainable development in least developed countries (LDCs). This study is motivated by the pressing need to assess the adequacy, predictability, and implications of climate finance for sustainable development in least developed countries (LDCs). Employing an econometric framework, this study utilizes ARIMA models to analyze time series data (from 2000 to 2021) on climate finance. The analysis revealed a notable gap between the needed and actual climate funding received by LDCs. Despite an annual requirement of $93.7 billion according to the UK-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), LDCs have only received an average of $14.8 billion annually since 2015. The study suggests that climate funding for LDCs lacks predictability and falls short in meeting their needs, potentially facing an 80% decrease by 2030 under certain scenarios. It advocates for a strategic revamp in climate finance mechanisms to ensure adequacy and predictability, urging policymakers and international funding bodies to adopt more robust, fair, and needs-based approaches to climate financing. This research emphasizes the responsibility of developed nations and global agencies in bridging the considerable funding gap faced by LDCs. By integrating advanced forecasting techniques with a comprehensive analysis of global economic and political factors, this study sheds light on the challenges LDCs encounter in securing stable and sufficient climate finance, stressing the urgency for systemic reforms in global climate finance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As design policies and national design strategies are becoming more prevalent in developed countries, there is a clear nudge to governments' improved understanding on the positive value of design and design-led economies. This new context of support and awareness is developing in contrast to the reality that some regional areas continue to operate in troubled economies and societies that place design at the bottom of its priorities for policy making. As a devolved government that operates within the UK, Northern Ireland (NI) has elements of socio-economic deprivation and a troubled history of conflict. While wider research indicates it has the weakest design economy in the UK, there is limited understanding or identification for the reasons behind it. This research uses a grounded theory approach to observe the culture nuances (tacit habits, behaviors, and perceptions) amongst the NI design community and builds a framework of ten recommendations that can inform policymakers towards considering a policy for design in the region. It exposes a design culture that is insular yet resilient and reveals broader perceptions of a society and government that both undervalues and misunderstands design. While most policy labs build upon participatory, collaborative and co-design methods to engage with stakeholders, this research uses grounded theory and inductive reasoning to develop a theory from within a design community, laying the foundations for policy making to begin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Racism in the healthcare system has become a burgeoning focus in health policy-making and research. Existing research has shown both interpersonal and structural forms of racism limiting access to quality healthcare for racialised healthcare users. Nevertheless, little is known about the specifics of racism in the inpatient sector, specifically hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. The aim of this scoping review is therefore to map the evidence on racial discrimination experienced by people receiving treatment in inpatient settings (hospitals and rehabilitation facilities) or their caregivers in high-income countries, focusing specifically on whether intersectional axes of discrimination have been taken into account when describing these experiences. Methods: Based on the conceptual framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley, this scoping review surveyed existing research on racism and racial discrimination in inpatient care in high-income countries published between 2013 and 2023. The software Rayyan was used to support the screening process while MAXQDA was used for thematic coding. Results: Forty-seven articles were included in this review. Specifics of the inpatient sector included different hospitalisation, admission and referral rates within and across hospitals; the threat of racial discrimination from other healthcare users; and the spatial segregation of healthcare users according to ethnic, religious or racialised criteria. While most articles described some interactions between race and other social categories in the sample composition, the framework of intersectionality was rarely considered explicitly during analysis. Discussion: While the USA continue to predominate in discussions, other high-income countries including Canada, Australia and the UK also examine racism in their own healthcare systems. Absent from the literature are studies from a wider range of European countries as well as of racialised and disadvantaged groups other than refugees or recent immigrants. Research in this area would also benefit from an engagement with approaches to intersectionality in public health to produce a more nuanced understanding of the interactions of racism with other axes of discrimination. As inpatient care exhibits a range of specific structures, future research and policy-making ought to consider these specifics to develop targeted interventions, including training for non-clinical staff and robust, transparent and accessible complaint procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to shed light on the current state of "Dataset repositories" indexed in Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR). Design/methodology/approach: From each repository/record information, the Open-Access Policies, Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH), year of creation and the number of data sets archived in the repositories were manually searched, documented and analyzed. Findings: Developed countries like the United Kingdom and the USA are primarily involved in the development of institutional open-access repositories comprising significant components of OpenDOAR. The most extensively used software is DSpace. Most data set archives are OAI-PMH compliant but do not follow open-access rules. The study also highlights the sites' embrace of Web 2.0 capabilities and discovers really simple syndication feeds and Atom integration. The use of social media has made its presence known. Furthermore, the study concludes that the number of data sets kept in repositories is insufficient, although the expansion of such repositories has been consistent over the years. Practical implications: The work has the potential to benefit both researchers in general and policymakers in particular. Scholars interested in research data, data sharing and data reuse can learn about the present state of repositories that preserve data sets in OpenDOAR. At the same time, policymakers can develop recommendations and policies to assist in the construction and maintenance of repositories for data sets. Originality/value: According to the literature, there have been numerous studies on open-access repositories and OpenDOAR internationally, but no research has focused on repositories preserving content-type data sets. As a result, the study attempts to uncover various characteristics of OpenDOAR Data set repositories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are increasing instances in which researchers study their migrant co-nationals in one language but report their research findings in another language. This raises significant issues regarding the mediating role played by bilingual researcher-translators when translating research data: the decisions they make when bringing the Other's world to their readers, and the strategies they adopt when making such decisions. These issues of data translation, as well as the unique experiences of the researcher-translators and the valuable knowledge that they generate from this process, have not yet been given adequate attention in the academic literature. In response, this article explores a translation analysis which allows the researcher-translator to reflect in detail on the methodological challenges that researcher-translators are likely to encounter. Introducing Poblete's five operations of translation, we highlight the processes that the researcher-translator adopts in recognising, reflecting and negotiating with the (un)translatability of culturally embedded linguistic expression. Focusing on International Student Mobility (ISM) as a particular instance of research translation/analysis as cultural mediation, we demonstrate how our intention to attune to students' own ISM journey in their own language reverberates in the mediation and interventions the researcher-translator conducted through the translation analysis. The article thus emphasises how translating interview scripts as part of the research is more than seeking linguistic correspondence, it is also about understanding non-western lives and life-words through a second-language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities continue to expand and climate change exacerbates flooding, development within flood risk zones becomes an increasingly pressing concern. Engineered solutions alone cannot fully address the risks to individuals and communities, especially when local officials and residents have conflicting understanding of the risk. Participatory GIS (PGIS) offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap by engaging with communities to better understand their perceptions of flood risk. While PGIS has traditionally been used in developing nations as an alternative to numerical flood models, its potential for use in developed nations is largely unexplored. This paper presents a case study of survey-based PGIS conducted in Reading, a large town in Berkshire, UK. Findings suggest that local residents possess a surprisingly accurate understanding of flood risk zones, but discrepancies with modelled flood risk were also identified. These discrepancies may be due to issues with cartographic representation, but also raise concerns about the accuracy of numerical flood models. By examining local perceptions of flood risk, this study highlights the importance of considering community perspectives in flood risk management and offers valuable insights for practitioners seeking to bridge the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk zones. • Participants show remarkably robust local knowledge of flood risk in a UK city. • Findings highlight the value of stakeholder engagement in FRM. • Participatory GIS can help bridge the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk. • Approach could help address conflicts between flood managers and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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