Hims & Hers Halts Compounded Semaglutide Pill After FDA Warning 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
U.S. Vaccine Policy Shifts Under RFK Jr. Create Uncertainty for Pharma and Investors 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Toyota’s Surprise CEO Change Signals Strategic Shift Amid Global Auto Turmoil 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Merck Raises Growth Outlook, Targets $70 Billion Revenue From New Drugs by Mid-2030s 
The World Health Organization warned that artificial sweeteners, used to replace sugar in a vast range of products, do not help in losing weight and can have serious health effects.
According to the United Nations health agency, a systematic review of available evidence "suggests that use of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.
In addition, results from the review suggest that the long-term use of NSS could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.
The WHO's director for nutrition and food safety, Francesco Branca, stressed that replacing ordinary sugar with artificial sweeteners "does not help with weight control in the long term".
He added that NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value.
The WHO said its new recommendation applied to everyone except individuals with pre-existing diabetes.
It includes all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified sweeteners not classified as sugars found in manufactured foods and beverages or sold on their own to be added to products by consumers.
Among the most widely used sweeteners are acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and stevia derivatives, it said.
