Source: Council of the European Union
On 23 July 2025, European Council President António Costa was in Tokyo, Japan for the 30th EU-Japan summit. In his opening remarks at the start of the plenary session, he emphasised the importance of further deepening the EU-Japan strategic partnership, built on shared values and interests.
Source: Government of South Africa
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a new board for the National Youth Development Agency in terms of Section 9(1)(a) of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Act of 2008.
The new board members have been appointed for a period of three years starting from 1 August 2025.
“The Agency functions as a single, unitary structure addressing youth development issues at national, provincial and local government level,” the Presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.
The new board members are:
• Kelly Sandra Baloyi
• Thembisile Precious Mahuwa
• Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya
• Sibusiso Makhathini
• Dr Wiseman Mfaniseni Mbatha
• Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende
• Busisiwe Nandipha Nxumalo
“President Ramaphosa has also, in terms of Section 9(5)(a) of the NYDA Act, designated Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende as the Chairperson of the of the National Youth Development Agency Board, and Mr Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board.
“The President appreciates the willingness of the Board members to avail themselves for the national task of securing a promising future for the nation through the empowerment of young people,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The United Nations’ highest court will deliver an opinion on Wednesday that is likely to determine the course of future climate action across the world.
Known as an advisory opinion, the deliberation of the 15 judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is legally non-binding. It nevertheless carries legal and political weight and future climate cases would be unable to ignore it, legal experts say.
“The advisory opinion is probably the most consequential in the history of the court because it clarifies international law obligations to avoid catastrophic harm that would imperil the survival of humankind,” said Payam Akhavan, an international law professor.
In two weeks of hearings last December at the ICJ, also known as the World Court, Akhavan represented low-lying, small island states that face an existential threat from rising sea levels.
In all, over a hundred states and international organisations gave their views on the two questions the U.N. General Assembly had asked the judges to consider.
They were: what are countries’ obligations under international law to protect the climate from greenhouse gas emissions; and what are the legal consequences for countries that harm the climate system?
Wealthy countries of the Global North told the judges that existing climate treaties, including the 2015 Paris Agreement, which are largely non-binding, should be the basis for deciding their responsibilities.
Developing nations and small island states argued for stronger measures, in some cases legally binding, to curb emissions and for the biggest emitters of climate-warming greenhouse gases to provide financial aid.
PARIS AGREEMENT AND AN UPSURGE IN LITIGATION
In 2015, at the conclusion of U.N. talks in Paris, more than 190 countries committed to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
The agreement has failed to curb the growth of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Late last year, in the most recent “Emissions Gap Report,” which takes stock of countries’ promises to tackle climate change compared with what is needed, the U.N said that current climate policies will result in global warming of more than 3 C (5.4 F) above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
As campaigners seek to hold companies and governments to account, climate‑related litigation has intensified, with nearly 3,000 cases filed across almost 60 countries, according to June figures from London’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
So far, the results have been mixed.
A German court in May threw out a case between a Peruvian farmer and German energy giant RWE RWEG.DE, but his lawyers and environmentalists said the case, which dragged on for a decade, was a still victory for climate cases that could spur similar lawsuits.
Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which holds jurisdiction over 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries, said in another advisory opinion its members must cooperate to tackle climate change.
Campaigners say Wednesday’s court opinion should be a turning point and that, even if the ruling itself is advisory, it should provide for the determination that U.N. member states have broken the international law they have signed up to uphold.
“The court can affirm that climate inaction, especially by major emitters, is not merely a policy failure but a breach of international law,” said Fijian Vishal Prasad, one of the law students that lobbied the government of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean to bring the case to the ICJ.
Although it is theoretically possible to ignore an ICJ ruling, lawyers say countries are typically reluctant to do so.
“This opinion is applying binding international law, which countries have already committed to. National and regional courts will be looking to this opinion as a persuasive authority and this will inform judgments with binding consequences under their own legal systems,” Joie Chowdhury, senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, said.
The court will start reading out its opinion at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).
(Reuters)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The number of vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of HIV has declined by around 84 per cent, said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel in the Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Patel shared several steps taken by the government to enhance HIV/AIDS awareness.
“Vertical transmission rate has also declined by around 74.5 per cent between 2010 and 2024 compared to around 56.5 per cent globally in the same reference period,” Patel said.
Patel noted that National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, undertakes the responsibility to strengthen the awareness campaign against HIV/AIDs, through comprehensive multimedia campaigns, such as with information kiosks, and folk performances, among others.
Digital platforms and social media are also actively leveraged to ensure broader engagement and awareness generation, especially among younger and tech-savvy audiences.
Further, NACO rolled out 1,619 projects nationwide to support high-risk HIV populations.
“High-risk groups, including female sex workers (FSW), men having sex with Men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), transgender (TG) individuals, truck drivers, and migrants are specifically addressed through 1,619 targeted intervention projects across the country,” Patel said.
Self-help groups, anganwadi workers, ASHAs, and members of Panchayati Raj institutions provide training and sensitisation programmes at the grassroots level, fostering community-level awareness and behavioural change.
“To prevent discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV), NACO uses thematic campaigns,” Patel said.
These campaigns aim to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and foster inclusivity in diverse settings, including workplaces, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and communities at large.
In addition, “Ombudsmen have been appointed in 34 States and Union Territories to address complaints related to discrimination against PLHIV,” the MoS said, noting that the efforts underscore the government’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of PLHIV.
(IANS)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
A security patch Microsoft released this month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech giant’s SharePoint server software, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage effort, a timeline reviewed by Reuters shows.
On Tuesday, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that its initial solution to the flaw, identified at a hacker competition in May, did not work, but added that it released further patches that resolved the issue.
It remains unclear who is behind the spy effort, which targeted about 100 organisations over the weekend, and is expected to spread as other hackers join the fray.
In a blog post Microsoft said two allegedly Chinese hacking groups, dubbed “Linen Typhoon” and “Violet Typhoon,” were exploiting the weaknesses, along with a third, also based in China.
Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google have said China-linked hackers were probably behind the first wave of hacks.
Chinese government-linked operatives are regularly implicated in cyberattacks, but Beijing routinely denies such hacking operations.
In an emailed statement, its embassy in Washington said China opposed all forms of cyberattacks, and “smearing others without solid evidence.”
The vulnerability opening the way for the attack was first identified in May at a Berlin hacking competition organised by cybersecurity firm Trend Micro that offered cash bounties for finding computer bugs in popular software.
It offered a $100,000 prize for so-called “zero-day” exploits that leverage previously undisclosed digital weaknesses that could be used against SharePoint, Microsoft’s flagship document management and collaboration platform.
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration, charged with maintaining and designing the nation’s cache of nuclear weapons, was among the agencies breached, Bloomberg News said on Tuesday, citing a person with knowledge of the matter.
No sensitive or classified information is known to have been compromised, it added.
The U.S. Energy Department, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on the report.
A researcher for the cybersecurity arm of Viettel, a telecoms firm run by Vietnam’s military, identified a SharePoint bug at the May event, dubbed it “ToolShell” and demonstrated a way to exploit it.
The discovery won the researcher an award of $100,000, an X posting by Trend Micro’s “Zero Day Initiative” showed.
Participating vendors were responsible for patching and disclosing security flaws in “an effective and timely manner,” Trend Micro said in a statement.
“Patches will occasionally fail,” it added. “This has happened with SharePoint in the past.”
In a July 8 security update Microsoft said it had identified the bug, listed it as a critical vulnerability, and released patches to fix it.
About 10 days later, however, cybersecurity firms started to notice an influx of malicious online activity targeting the same software the bug sought to exploit: SharePoint servers.
“Threat actors subsequently developed exploits that appear to bypass these patches,” British cybersecurity firm Sophos said in a blog post on Monday.
The pool of potential ToolShell targets remains vast.
Hackers could theoretically have already compromised more than 8,000 servers online, data from search engine Shodan, which helps identify internet-linked equipment, shows.
Such servers were in networks ranging from auditors, banks, healthcare companies and major industrial firms to U.S. state-level and international government bodies.
The Shadowserver Foundation, which scans the internet for potential digital vulnerabilities, put the number at a little more than 9,000, cautioning that the figure is a minimum.
It said most of those affected were in the United States and Germany.
Germany’s federal office for information security, BSI, said on Tuesday it had found no compromised SharePoint servers in government networks, despite some being vulnerable to the ToolShell attack.
(Reuters)
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Athlete sentenced for Bounce Back Loan fraud
A world sprint champion has been sentenced after he spent Covid loan funds to help buy a £1.3 million house.
Rick Beardsell secured two £50,000 Bounce Back Loans for his Sports Creative Limited company in 2020 and 2021 when businesses were only allowed a single loan.
The 46-year-old then moved the Bounce Back Loan funds into his personal bank account, using part of the money to help buy a five-bedroom property on Macclesfield Road in Prestbury, while also transferring cash to family members and making mortgage payments.
Beardsell, who has won multiple sprint titles and holds world records representing Great Britain as a masters athlete, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 22 July.
He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £11,152.
Beardsell repaid the £100,000 in full earlier this year after his guilty plea but before sentencing.
David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
Rick Beardsell exploited a Covid support scheme designed for struggling businesses, fraudulently obtaining loans he was not entitled to.
While legitimate business owners fought to stay afloat during the pandemic, Beardsell bought a £1.3 million home with the help of money that should have been supporting his company through difficult times.
This case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who viewed government support schemes as an opportunity for personal enrichment during a national emergency.
Sports Creative Limited was set up in January 2009 with Beardsell as its sole director. The company described itself on social media as “a bespoke sportswear manufacturer”.
Beardsell applied to the bank for his first £50,000 Bounce Back Loan just before Christmas 2020.
In the application, he claimed that Sports Creative Limited had a turnover of £485,000.
Just two weeks later, in early January 2021, Beardsell applied to a second bank for another £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, this time stating that his company had an estimated turnover of £320,000.
Insolvency Service analysis of Sports Creative Limited’s bank account revealed that its turnover was just over £90,000, meaning he exaggerated his company’s revenue on both occasions.
Beardsell claimed that he had received a purchase order of $600,000 (approximately £440,000) for personal protective equipment during the pandemic which ultimately failed to materialise.
Even if this were the case, businesses were required to provide their turnover for 2019, prior to the start of Covid.
Investigations also found Beardsell transferred £83,900 of the £100,000 loan money to his personal bank account in three separate transactions at the start of March 2021.
A total of £431,160 from that account was paid to solicitors for the purchase of a house on Macclesfield Road in September 2021.
Beardsell also made fraudulent transfers of £5,000 to his wife, £10,000 to another family member, and two mortgage payments for his previous house in Manchester which put the funds beyond the reach of creditors.
In a prepared statement, Beardsell claimed that he had sought “professional advice” that Bounce Back Loan funds could be used for “any purpose” that resulted in a direct benefit to the company. He added that he was advised that this could include investments in company assets or property.
Beardsell also said that HMRC told him that he was eligible to receive the funds from the second loan, advice which would not have been given had he been honest about his successful application for an earlier Bounce Back Loan.
Sports Creative Limited entered liquidation in December 2021.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Environment Agency publishes results of National Waste Crime Survey 2025, showing almost three quarters of all waste crimes go unreported
Landowners and farmers are being urged to help the Environment Agency stop waste crime as new research shows only 12% reported the most recent incidents which affected them.
The findings were revealed today (Wednesday 23 July) in the results of the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey 2025, which also show more than half (57%) of landowners and farmers are estimated to have been affected by waste crime.
Networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means. The waste industry, landowners and farmers who took part in the survey estimate 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, attracted by financial gains.
Last year, three men were convicted following a major investigation led by the Environment Agency into large-scale illegal deposits of more than 26,000 tonnes of waste – the equivalent weight of around 2,170 double-decker buses – at 17 sites across the country. Organised criminal gang members approached waste facilities and offered to dispose of baled waste at reduced costs, which they later abandoned.
The Environment Agency is determined to stop waste crime, protect the environment, and pursue criminals. It’s essential to know when and where these offences are happening – and the survey shows only just more than a quarter (27%) of all waste crimes are reported.
To ensure it has the best possible information to identify and stop the culprits, the Environment Agency is appealing to landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director for Waste & Resources Regulation, said:
Waste criminals’ toxic crimes cause widespread and significant harm to people, places and the economy. The Environment Agency is determined to use all our powers and resources to stop waste criminals, but we cannot achieve this alone.
Our survey shows almost three quarters of waste offences go unreported, so we urge industry and the public to help us stop waste criminals faster by sharing what they know about the people carrying out these heinous crimes.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:
Through our Plan for Change, this government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.
With the shocking scale of this challenge revealed today, we are tightening the net on the organised crime groups who exploit our broken waste system.
We will not stand and watch while our countryside is polluted by criminals who undercut decent businesses.
Sam Corp, Head of Regulation at the Environmental Services Association, said:
With more than half of British landowners now reporting that they have fallen victim to the illegal dumping of waste, the survey findings are further evidence of the waste crime epidemic facing the UK, much of which is perpetrated by organised crime groups.
It is essential that we all exercise our duty of care to ensure waste does not fall into criminal hands and that, across society, we report all waste crime when we see it to help the authorities identify and stop the culprits.
Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications & External Affairs at CIWM, said:
Waste crime causes misery and anxiety to communities wherever it occurs. It also damages local economies and undermines the professional recycling, resources and waste sector.
These latest National Waste Crime Survey figures show the extent of the challenge we face and the need for renewed focus and action. We can all do something to tackle waste crime and to bring those responsible to account.
CIWM encourages everyone to report suspicious activity or any incidents involving the illegal tipping of waste materials – wherever and whenever you see it. By reporting it to your local authorities or to the Environment Agency, you’re increasing the chance of prosecution and of swift action to maintain the quality of local environments on which our economy depends.
Conducted in February, the survey is used to help better understand the nature and scale of waste crime, as perceived by those experiencing it, including landowners, farmers and the waste industry.
The survey’s results show waste criminals are active across the country, with respondents estimating 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed at some point in the supply chain – enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times.
Waste industry respondents who had suffered waste crime reported incurring significant costs, with 52% experiencing losses exceeding £50,000 due to illegal waste sites, 44% from illegal waste exports, and 32% from large-scale fly-tipping.
Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation. This will act as a strong deterrent and ensure the full force of the law comes down hard on those trashing the nation’s communities.
The Environment Agency fully supports legitimate operators and is working hard in collaboration with other partners to stop illegal waste management. In one recent successful prosecution, a former teacher who filled two quarries in Hertfordshire with enough illegal waste to fill the Royal Albert Hall nearly three times over was ordered to pay almost £79,000 following an Environment Agency investigation.
And, in another prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, a County Durham man was jailed for 44 weeks in February for operating an illegal waste site without an environmental permit.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
Question:
The media earlier reported that some Hong Kong students had developed problems of different natures while participating in Mainland exchange tours (exchange tours), which has aroused public concerns about the quality of the exchange tours and may have an impact on the willingness of parents, teachers and students to go north for exchange. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the total number of primary and secondary schools that have been subsidised by the Education Bureau (EDB) and the number of primary and secondary students who have participated since the implementation of the Mainland exchange programmes for students; the effectiveness of the programmes;
(2) whether the EDB has provided various schools with the tendering criteria for selecting the service providers of exchange tours; if so, of the details; the review mechanism in place to examine areas such as health and accommodation safety of the exchange tours, and whether guidelines have been drawn up to specify the requirements for the capability of service providers to respond to incidents; and
(3) it is learnt that the EDB has pointed out that if the quality of the exchange tours was poor, the service providers concerned would not be invited to submit bid again by the authorities, whether the authorities have used the service providers’ records of the exchange tours as the selection criterion, and of the effectiveness of the relevant selection mechanism; whether the authorities have put in place a mechanism to regularly review and enhance the arrangements for the exchange tours (e.g. the itinerary arrangements and selection of itineraries for patriotic education); whether any service providers have been removed from the list of potential service providers for exchange tours by the EDB due to poor track record; if so, of the details?
Reply:
President,
Since the 2004/05 school year, the Education Bureau (EDB) has been providing students with Mainland exchange opportunities in line with the country’s latest developments and the school curriculum every year. This includes organising Mainland exchange programmes (MEPs) of different themes for students and subsidising schools to organise such programmes. Approximately 100 000 subsidised quotas are provided each year to ensure that every student has the opportunity to join at least one MEP each in their primary and secondary stages. The EDB has commissioned external organisations to provide services (e.g. transportation, meals, accommodation and exchange activities) for programmes such as the Mainland Exchange Programme for Junior Secondary and Upper Primary Students and the Mainland Exchange Programme for Secondary School Students, etc. To take better care of students and teachers, every tour will be accompanied by a licensed medical professional or a tour escort holding a valid first aid certificate. Schools may also apply for subsidies from the EDB under two programmes, namely the Junior Secondary and Upper Primary School Students Exchange Programme Subsidy Scheme: “Understanding Our Motherland” and the Senior Secondary School Students Exchange Programme Subvention Scheme, to design their own Mainland exchange activities according to school-based needs and students’ learning needs. MEPs for students align with learning elements of the curriculum and cover diversified learning themes, including history, culture, economics, science and technology. Through participation in the various programmes mentioned above, students can gain first-hand experience of the development of our country from multiple perspectives, and consolidate and deepen classroom learning. This will in turn enhance their understanding of the country and their sense of national identity. Mainland exchange activities for students have delivered remarkable learning outcomes since their launch. Furthermore, to tie in with the implementation of the senior secondary subject of Citizenship and Social Development (CS), the EDB has launched CS Mainland study tours since April 2023. As Mainland study tours form an integral part of the CS curriculum, all senior secondary students studying the local curriculum will receive a full subsidy once to participate in CS Mainland study tours organised by the EDB. After completing their CS Mainland study tours, students have to conduct project learning and submit a report to the school in the form of an individual project.
Our reply to the question raised by the Hon Stanley Ng is as follows:
(1) With student participation on a voluntary basis, MEPs for students have all along been well received by schools, parents and students. During the five school years (s.y.) from the 2014/15 to 2018/19 s.y., the number of primary and secondary student participants increased from approximately 50 000 to more than 70 000. With full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the EDB resumed MEPs for students in the 2023/24 s.y., and the responses from schools were positive, with around 68 000 students participating, which was comparable to its pre-pandemic level. The response in the 2024/25 s.y. is even more encouraging, with over 80 000 primary and secondary students already enrolled in MEPs for students, showing that the programmes are highly popular among schools. Schools will decide on the departure dates based on their school context and students’ learning needs. The numbers of students participating in MEPs from the 2022/23 to the 2024/25 s.y. are as follows:
| School year | Number of students (rounded down to the nearest hundred) |
| 2022/23 | 600 |
| 2023/24+ | 68 200 |
| 2024/25++ | 81 000 |
+ Actual figures revised from last year’s estimates
++ Provisional figures (actual figures to be confirmed after departure)
In addition, following the launch of CS Mainland study tours since April 2023, the EDB has arranged for a cumulative total of more than 140 000 senior secondary students and 15 000 teachers to take part in the study tours in the past three school years (from the 2022/23 to 2024/25 s.y.). The EDB has continued to enhance the scale of and arrangements for CS Mainland study tours. With respect to the number of routes, there is an increase from 22 one-to-three-day tours in the Guangdong Province in the 2022/23 s.y. to 28 one-to-five-day tours in the 2024/25 s.y., covering 11 provinces and municipalities, so as to enable students to participate in various types of learning activities during CS Mainland study tours. Experiential learning activities are arranged in the activity bases for students’ comprehensive practice or other visiting spots as part of the itinerary. The numbers of students participating in CS Mainland study tours from the 2022/23 to 2024/25 s.y. are as follows:
| School year | Number of students (rounded down to the nearest hundred) |
| 2022/23 | 43 300 |
| 2023/24+ | 49 900 |
| 2024/25++ | 50 400 |
+ Actual figures revised from last year’s estimates
++ Provisional figures (actual figures to be confirmed after departure)
In conclusion, it is without doubt that MEPs for primary and secondary students and CS Mainland study tours are beneficial to students. According to the results of questionnaire survey, feedback from teachers and students on these programmes are very positive. They generally consider that Mainland exchange and study tours have extended classroom learning and deepened students’ understanding of our country’s history, culture and technological development, etc, thereby instilling in them a sense of belonging to our country and enhancing their sense of national identity; facilitated friendship building through exchanges between local and Mainland students; and enhanced students’ understanding of the rapid development of our country to help them seize future development opportunities.
(2) and (3) In selecting service providers for Mainland exchange and study tours, the EDB has all along been following the established government procedures of services procurement, with assessment and approval made under the principles of fairness, openness and impartiality. Service providers are required to have relevant experiences in organising Mainland exchange and study tours for students. During tender evaluation, the EDB will take into account both technical factors (including pro-innovation proposals) and price factors, and may not necessarily award contracts to the lowest bidders.
With the safety and health of students as the prime concern, the EDB has established a regular mechanism to safeguard the safety of students during Mainland exchange and study tours. For instance, the service providers are required by the EDB to formulate for its scrutiny contingency guidelines and arrangements for handling various emergency situations encountered in Mainland exchange and study tours, such as inclement weather, accidents, loss of identity documents and physical discomfort. Prior to departure of each tour, the service providers are required to communicate properly with the schools and arrange on-site briefings to go through the itinerary, points to note and ways to cope with emergencies, etc. Handbooks and name badges containing information about dealing with emergency incidents (e.g. emergency telephone numbers in the Mainland, and particulars and contact numbers of the accompanying staff) will be distributed to teachers and students for persual during the tour. The EDB has put in place a notification mechanism on the safety of students, through which the service providers are required to report on a daily basis the situation of each of the tours during the course of the journey. In addition, the EDB gauges participants’ feedback of these programmes by holding regular meetings with the service providers, deploying staff to attend the programmes to assess the appropriateness of the content and collecting views of the participants, conducting questionnaire surveys, and evaluating the opinions of the participants towards the programmes by arranging interviews and post-tour sharing sessions. Such efforts are conducive to the continuous enhancement and exploration of diverse themes for Mainland exchange and study tours. We will also regularly review the performance of the service providers concerned and monitor the progress and implementation of their work through field inspections and work reports, etc. Any cases of unsatisfactory performance of service providers will be handled by the EDB according to the established mechanism. According to existing records, no service provider has been removed from the list of potential service providers for exchange and study tours by the EDB due to poor track records.
Regarding the incidents in which students of individual schools had developed gastroenteritis symptoms during the Mainland exchange and study tours for students conducted earlier, we seriously and promptly followed up with relevant Mainland organisations/units to provide appropriate support for the schools concerned, including arranging for those students feeling sick to see a local doctor upon parental consent, reallocating rooms for them to prevent cross-infection, providing antiseptic products and arranging disinfection of the coaches. For the sake of safety, while the source of the outbreak could not be verified, we had immediately requested relevant service providers to stop patronising the suspected eatery, and required all those which offered catering service for MEPs for students and CS Mainland study tours to temporarily stop serving raw and undercooked food and cooked shellfish, etc. All the tours concerned had returned to Hong Kong after successful completion of their journey.
Meanwhile, we have promptly set up a dedicated task force for student Mainland study tours to enhance the arrangements for exchange and study activities in a timely manner. Efforts include directly liaising and arranging regular collaboration meetings with Mainland departments and units, with a view to improving various facilities and arrangements to further ensure students’ safety. We have also reached a consensus with service providers on strengthening the notification mechanism for unforeseen incidents. In the event of an incident, the service providers should get to know the situation as soon as possible, keep abreast of its developments, and provide appropriate assistance. They have also been reminded that there should be more detailed planning and contingency measures for the itinerary, accommodation and catering arrangements, etc. The information presented and guidelines for the pre-departure on-site briefings have also been updated to enhance the hygiene and safety awareness of teachers and students. Moreover, we will maintain close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health (DH) to update from time to time the latest information on disease prevention and control provided by the EDB and the DH on the “Passing on the Torch” National Education Activities Series website (www.passontorch.org.hk/en), and remind all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to check out and get familiar with such information before setting off for the tours. To enable accompanying teachers to get hold of the latest information on exchange tours, the EDB will regularly organise briefings and sharing sessions to promote the good practices of different schools and provide illustrative examples on how to respond to emergencies for the schools’ reference.
On promoting patriotic education, it was mentioned in “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” that starting from the 2024/25 s.y., at least 30 routes with “red resources” would be provided through the Mainland exchange and study tours for students. The EDB has made corresponding arrangements to incorporate relevant visiting spots, including historical sites, museums and thematic memorial halls, as well as learning activities, into 30 routes of MEPs and 11 routes of CS Mainland study tours respectively. To further strengthen patriotic education, and tie in with the launch of the Curriculum Framework of National Security Education in Hong Kong (2025) and mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, starting from the 2025/26 s.y., the number of routes with “red resources” to be provided through MEPs and CS Mainland study tours for students will be increased to 33 and 15 respectively to facilitate students’ understanding of the revolutionary stories and arduous struggles of our revolutionary predecessors and foster their national spirit. The EDB will continue to gauge views from different stakeholders for reviewing the effectiveness of and enhance the arrangements for the Mainland exchange and study tours for students. The EDB will also keep in view the learning effectiveness of the Mainland exchange and study tours for students through school visits and inspections, collection of student work (including photographs, video clips and student reflections), interviews with teachers and students, etc, and will share students’ learning outcomes with the public.
The EDB has all along been actively organising for the benefit of students various kinds of Mainland exchange and study tours, which have gained general support and recognition from schools. The learning outcomes of students are also remarkable. We are looking forward to the continuous support from relevant stakeholders for the Mainland exchange and study tours for students. We will also adhere to our original aspiration and continue to enhance the quality of MEPs for students, and join hands with various stakeholders to achieve more fruitful outcomes.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
Question:
Since October last year, the Government has reduced the duty rate for liquor with import price over $200 from 100 per cent to 10 per cent for the portion above $200. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the changes in the value and volume of imports and re-exports of liquor to date after the reduction in the duty rate on liquor, and how such data compare with those prior to the reduction, together with a breakdown by type of liquor (e.g. Chinese baijiu, whisky and brandy);
(2) as the Government has indicated that the reduction in the duty rate on liquor aims to promote the development of Hong Kong into a trading hub for high-end liquor and boost the growth of various industries such as catering, hotel, logistics and warehousing, whether the Government has assessed if the policy has achieved the expected effects after its implementation; whether the Government will study a further reduction in the duty rate on liquor; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether the Department of Health has, after the reduction in the duty rate on liquor, conducted a population health survey to compile statistics on the proportion of the population aged 15 or above who have consumed liquor; whether it will step up its efforts to publicise and educate the public about the health effects of alcohol, in order to prevent problems such as alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse and binge drinking; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Health Bureau, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) and the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong is as follows:
Currently, liquor duty in Hong Kong is levied on liquor for local sales or other uses, while liquor for export or re-export through Hong Kong to other regions is not subject to duty. As such, the liquor duty reduction has a more direct impact on liquor imported for local consumption, whereas the re-export trade of liquor is more influenced by macro factors such as global economic conditions and geopolitics.
According to the statistics from the C&ED, during the 8.5-month period from the reduction of the duty rate on high-end liquor on October 16 last year to the end of June this year, both the volume (in litre) and value of duty-paid liquor import increased as compared with the 8.5-month period prior to the liquor duty reduction. Of these, the import volume of liquor rose by more than 20 per cent, while its value went up significantly by nearly 90 per cent, reflecting that the two-tier system introduced by the Government is effective in boosting high-end liquor trading. A comparison of the volume and value of duty-paid liquor before and after the reduction in liquor duty rate, as well as detailed statistics breakdown by type of liquor, is provided in Annex I for Members’ reference.
On the other hand, as liquor duty is not levied on re-exported liquor, the C&ED does not maintain statistical data on the value of liquor re-export. The information provided by the C&SD is set out in Annex II.
As the liquor duty reduction has only been implemented for a short period, its effectiveness in various aspects remains to be observed. Regarding the suggestion from some members of the trade that the Government should further reduce the duty on liquor, we would like to reiterate that the purpose of lowering liquor duty is to encourage the trade and auctions of high-end liquor in Hong Kong, thereby giving impetus to the development of other high value-added sectors such as logistics and storage, tourism as well as high-end food and beverage consumption. At the same time, we are also mindful of the need to avoid increasing liquor consumption among the public as a result of reducing liquor duty, thereby leading to other problems.
When introducing the relevant measures, the Government has fully balanced different policy considerations such as promoting economic development, maintaining stable public finances and protecting public health. We will closely monitor the development of the liquor trade and review the effectiveness of the measures in a timely manner. Any further adjustments will require careful consideration of the impact on different aspects with prudent planning. The Government currently has no plan to further adjust the duty rate on liquor.
In fact, the Government has been attaching great importance to the harms brought by alcohol, in particular alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse and binge drinking. In 2018, the Government launched the “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong”, setting out nine local targets, with “reduce harmful use of alcohol” being one of them, to be achieved by 2025. The Government will continue to adopt a risk-based approach to reduce alcohol-related harm through publicity, education, treatment and support services. Among which, the Department of Health (DH) has launched the Pilot Alcohol Cessation Counselling Service (Pilot Programme) through subvention to a non-governmental organisation. The Pilot Programme was launched on April 8, 2024, and will last for two years to provide free counselling service for Hong Kong residents identified to have probable alcohol dependence. The DH has also launched a publicity and education campaign named “Understanding Alcohol Harm” since 2022 to enhance the public’s understanding of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption; and provides online risk assessment of drinking behaviour, personalised health advice, self-help tools, health education resources, etc to encourage drinkers to change their drinking behaviour for the sake of their health.
In addition, the DH conducts the Population Health Survey (PHS) approximately every five years with the Health Behaviour Survey conducted in between as regular surveillance to understand the health status of the Hong Kong population, including drinking behaviours. Figures relevant to drinking behaviours in past PHSs are set out in Annex III. The 2025/26 PHS is expected to commence in the third quarter this year with the findings to be available in end-2026, which would reflect the situation after the partial reduction of duty on liquor.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Tommy Cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
Question:
(3) whether any PI KGs have participated in the Guangdong-Hong Kong Sister Kindergarten Exchange Programme which has been launched by the EDB since the 2023-2024 school year; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
President,
Source: APO – Report:
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Participating in trade shows is crucial for the growth of small businesses. It provides them opportunities to sell, network and enhance their visibility. Yet, many entrepreneurs, especially in least developed countries, struggle to participate in trade fairs due to high costs. That was the case for Mariama S. Ceesay, founder of Her Sacred Veil, a bespoke fashion brand in The Gambia.
“I had never participated in a trade show before because I did not have the financial means to cover the cost of a stall,” says Mariama. “As a small business owner, most of my resources focus on production and fulfilling customer orders.”
This changed when the European Union Youth Empowerment Project – Tourism and Creative Industries, funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), stepped in. The project covered 90% of her stall fee, provided training and visibility products.
“I received training, help with my branding and an e-business card. Additionally, the project organized engaging activities around our stalls to attract more visitors and increase visibility for our businesses,” Mariama says said.
Before the fair, Her Sacred Veil operated mostly online. “I was mainly selling my products online through TikTok and WhatsApp. I used TikTok to showcase my products and reach a wider audience, while WhatsApp helped me manage orders and communicate directly with customers. Now at the trade fair, I was able to show the quality, creativity and craftsmanship that go into every outfit I design,” explains Mariama.
The experience was a breakthrough. Mariama made several sales and gained a new customer base. “I was happy about the orders I received during and after the trade fair. I also made some useful business contacts that will hopefully lead to future opportunities,” she says.
Mariama’s highlight was connecting directly with new customers and hearing their positive feedback about her bespoke outfits. “It was exciting that people appreciated my designs and placed orders on the spot.”
She did not hit her target in terms of sales, but for Mariama, the trade fair was much more than that. `Sales were lower than expected, but I learned a lot, especially about converting interest into purchases.”
Now, the business owner is thinking bigger. She plans to attend more fairs and seek for support to acquire equipment and a showroom. “I’m currently working with one sewing machine. I dream of getting an overlock machine and creating a space that truly reflects my brand.”
– on behalf of International Trade Centre.
Source: APO – Report:
Edward During, Chief Financial Officer, and Sam Olotu, Chief Technical Officer of Africa-focused oil and gas company Lekoil, will join the lineup of industry leaders speaking at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies in Cape Town. Their participation comes as the Nigerian independent continues to make headlines with its rapid project execution, growing investments and increasing involvement in national development and energy transition initiatives.
Lekoil holds interests in a diverse portfolio of marginal and offshore assets across Nigeria, with a track record that reflects both technical achievement and rapid project execution. The company was part of the consortium that drilled the Ogo-1 and Ogo-1 ST wells in the OPL 310 license offshore Lagos in 2013 – one of the largest offshore discoveries in Nigeria in recent history, with estimated recoverable resources exceeding 700 million barrels of oil equivalent. Building on that early success, Lekoil later acquired a majority stake in the Otakikpo field in OML 11, Rivers State, and brought it into production within just 18 months – setting a new benchmark for speed and efficiency among indigenous operators. Today, the company continues to build momentum at Otakikpo as part of a wider expansion plan to boost output and optimize existing infrastructure.
Lekoil has also reinforced its commitment to ESG principles, with the company publicly advocating for stronger integration of environmental, social and governance practices across Africa’s energy industry. In January 2025, Lekoil announced a strategic partnership with the Akwa Ibom State Government aimed at unlocking investment across the oil and gas value chain, with additional collaboration in agriculture and community development. The partnership reflects Lekoil’s long-term vision of integrating energy production with local economic empowerment, creating jobs and enabling broader development benefits.
Lekoil’s leadership has made clear that it aims to serve as a model for how indigenous energy companies can lead the way in delivering tangible socioeconomic impact while meeting national production goals. The independent operator has targeted 250,000 barrels of oil per day in the long term, aligning this ambition with a strategy centered on marginal field development, local partnerships and integrated investment in infrastructure, job creation and regional growth.
“At AEW 2025, the company’s participation will offer valuable insight into how indigenous firms are not only accelerating field development, but also shaping policy, investment and sustainability discourse across the continent. Lekoil is expected to provide updates on its expanding project pipeline, strategic partnerships and its approach to navigating both legacy challenges and the demands of a just and pragmatic energy transition. As Nigeria looks to scale up production and unlock the potential of its untapped reserves, Lekoil’s trajectory serves as a compelling example of what’s possible when local capacity is matched with focused leadership and collaborative investment,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.
– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
About AEW: Invest in African Energies:
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Editor’s Note: A group exhibition featuring five German contemporary artists closes this week at Beijing’s Whitebox Art Center.
“Boundless: Contemporary Art from Germany” runs through July 24, showcasing abstract paintings and sculptures that blend Western and Eastern artistic approaches.
The exhibition, curated by Ren Rong, features works by Franz Türtscher, Herbert Mehler, Nikola Dimitrov, Otto Reitsperger, and Reinhard Roy. The artists draw from German abstract traditions while incorporating Eastern artistic philosophy.
The show highlights the enduring influence of Bauhaus design principles, particularly ideas of structure and rhythm. The artists push painting and sculpture beyond representation, experimenting with visual logic and optical illusion.
Each work shows a different approach to abstract art. Dimitrov’s work reflects his background as a classical pianist, while Türtscher’s uses color and grids. Reitsperger creates visual illusions through geometry, and Mehler transforms steel into curved sculptures.
“Boundless” invites viewers to inhabit a space where vision, thought and form dissolve their boundaries.
This photo shows the entrance to “Boundless: Contemporary Art from Germany” at Whitebox Art Center in Beijing, July 17, 2025. The stark architectural framing prepares viewers for a journey through abstraction and cross-cultural exchange. [Photo by Liu Ziying/China.org.cn]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Italy’s Milan Ballet arrived in Urumqi, Xinjiang, on July 21, to participate in the 7th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival. At the airport, they were welcomed by Xinjiang Urumqi Art Theatre with a traditional ethnic-style dance.
Members of the Urumqi Art Theatre performed a variety of ethnic dances, while the Milan Ballet dancers joyfully echoed their movements. Transcending language barriers through body language, they created an atmosphere of “shared harmony through dance” and mutual appreciation.
The 7th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival opened in Urumqi on July 20 and will run until Aug. 5. The event brings together Chinese and foreign groups, including eight international teams and 16 domestic troupes. A total of 52 performances, covering various forms such as dance dramas, operas, ballets and modern dances, will be staged at the main venue in Urumqi and six sub-venues in cities including Yili and Hotan.
An Italian dancer from the Milan Ballet and a dancer from Xinjiang Urumqi Art Theatre dance together at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, Xinjiang, July 21, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States has reached a trade deal with Japan, which will impose a 15 percent tariff on Japanese goods.
Japan will invest 550 billion U.S. dollars into the United States, which will receive 90 percent of the profits, said Trump, adding that the deal will create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“Japan will open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things. Japan will pay Reciprocal Tariffs to the United States of 15 percent,” said Trump in a post on social media.
In a recent letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Trump threatened to raise the so-called reciprocal tariff on Japan to 25 percent starting Aug. 1, higher than the 24 percent tariff announced on April 2.
As one of the major U.S. trading partners, Japan has been tough in bilateral trade talks.
The United States saw 68.5 billion dollars of trade deficit in goods with Japan in 2024, with imports from Japan totalling 148.2 billion dollars and exports to Japan at 79.7 billion dollars, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Trump also announced a trade deal with the Philippines after meeting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier Tuesday.
Still, the White House hasn’t released details on U.S. trade deals with the Philippines and Japan.
On Tuesday, the White House unveiled more details about the U.S. trade deal with Indonesia, which was announced on July 15.
Indonesia will eliminate approximately 99 percent of tariff barriers for a full range of U.S. industrial, food and agricultural products exported to Indonesia, while the United States will impose a 19 percent tariff on products imported from Indonesia, said a release by the White House.
Indonesia will remove restrictions on exports to the United States of industrial commodities, including critical minerals, it said.
Trump has signed an executive order earlier this month to extend the 90-day suspension of sweeping U.S. reciprocal tariffs from July 9 to Aug. 1, with trade negotiations ongoing with the European Union and other major trading partners.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Russian Navy has launched the large-scale operational exercise July Storm, involving forces from the Northern, Pacific, Baltic Fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced Wednesday.
Guided by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, the drills will run from July 23 to 27 across several maritime regions, including waters of the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Baltic Sea and Caspian Sea.
According to the ministry, more than 150 warships and support vessels, 120 aircraft, 10 coastal defense missile systems, around 950 units of military and specialized equipment, and over 15,000 personnel are participating in the exercise.
The exercise is intended to test the readiness of naval groupings to respond to non-standard operational scenarios as well as the integrated use of long-range precision weapons, unmanned systems and other advanced military technologies, according to the ministry.
The agenda includes crew deployment to designated combat zones, anti-submarine operations, and the defense of naval bases and key maritime economic zones.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Bayanda Walaza sprinted to the men’s 100m title to give South Africa its third gold medal at the Rhine-Ruhr World University Games, while Team USA continued to dominate the swimming pool with four more golds on Tuesday night.
The Paris 2024 Olympian and world junior champion crossed the line in 10.16 seconds, edging Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (10.22), the same rival he beat at last year’s under-20 global competition in Peru. Asian champion Hiroki Yanagita finished third, just 0.01 seconds behind Boonson.
“I feel glorified. I believe in winning. As soon as I was on that [start] line, I was looking at that finish line. My mind was there. I need to cross it before everyone,” said Walaza, who, at just 18, ran the leadoff leg in the men’s 4x100m relay final to help South Africa claim silver at Paris 2024.
Ai Yanhan (3rd L) of China competes during the women’s 200m freestyle final of swimming at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Berlin, Germany, July 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
Walaza became just the ninth South African to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m when he clocked 9.94 in Zagreb in May. Weeks earlier, he set a national junior record of 20.08 in the 200m.
Australia’s Georgia Harris won the women’s 100m in 11.44, ahead of Poland’s Magdalena Stefanowicz (11.49) and South Africa’s Gabriella Marais (11.51).
Germany claimed a one-two finish in the men’s discus, with Mika Sosna winning gold with a throw of 64.26 meters and Steven Richter taking silver at 61.77. Ukraine’s Mykhailo Brudin posted a season-best 60.71 to earn bronze.
The women’s long jump podium was separated by just three centimeters. Portugal’s Agate Sousa leaped 6.60 meters, two centimeters ahead of China’s Asian Games champion Xiong Shiqi, who finished one centimeter ahead of Spain’s Natalia Gonzalez.
“It’s a pity to miss the top place by just two centimeters,” said Xiong, who earned China’s first athletics medal at the Games. “But the result is compatible with my capability and my expectation. I want to inspire my teammates in the upcoming track and field competitions with this very first medal in the stadium for China.”
Swedish Olympian Axelina Johansson won the women’s shot put with a throw of 18.45 meters. American top qualifier Abria Smith followed with 17.38, while South Africa’s Colette Uys claimed bronze at 17.34, narrowly ahead of compatriot Mine de Klerk by one centimeter.
Seven finals were contested in the pool, with Team USA winning four. The American men continued their relay dominance with a record-breaking win in the 4x200m freestyle, finishing in 7:04.51 to break the previous Games mark of 7:05.49 set by Russia in 2013.
Cavan Gormsen surged from eighth to first on the back half of the women’s 200m freestyle, winning gold for the U.S. in 1:57.21. She closed the final 50 meters in 29.13 to pass three swimmers and edge China’s Ai Yanhan by 0.3 seconds.
Leah Shackley broke her own day-old meet record to win the women’s 50m backstroke in 27.31 seconds, trimming 0.3 off her semifinal time of 27.66.
In the women’s 200m individual medley, another American, Leah Hayes, won gold in 2:09.48, improving on her Games record from the semifinal.
Competing as a neutral athlete, Aleksandr Stepanov won his second freestyle distance title of the meet with victory in the men’s 800m in 7:46.51, finishing nearly four seconds ahead of Italy’s Tommaso Griffante.
Italy’s Gianmarco Sansone claimed gold in the men’s 100m butterfly with a personal-best 51.40. Germany’s Bjorn Kammann finished second in 51.70, followed by Uzbekistan’s Eldorbek Usmonov (51.84).
Federico Rizzardi earned Italy’s second gold of the session, winning the men’s 50m breaststroke in 27.14, nearly 0.2 seconds ahead of the field.
In diving, China’s Zhang Wenao won gold in the men’s 1m springboard with 425.85 points, followed by teammate Hu Yukang (368.75). Germany’s Tim Axur took bronze with 354.80.
South Korea claimed its fifth fencing gold by edging France 45-43 in the women’s sabre team event. Italy secured its third fencing title with a commanding 45-20 win over Poland in the men’s foil team final.
The top three on the medal table remained unchanged after the sixth day of competition. The U.S. leads with 21 golds (20 in swimming), 12 silvers and 20 bronzes, followed by China (12-17-4) and South Korea (11-5-13). Host Germany sits fourth with seven golds, six silvers and eight bronzes.
Source: European Central Bank
23 July 2025
The European Central Bank (ECB) today published statistics on non-cash payments for the second half of 2024.[2]The statistics comprise indicators on access to and use of payment services, payment cards and payment terminals by the public, as well as volumes and values of transactions processed through retail and large-value payment systems. This press release focuses on developments in the euro area as a whole, while statistics are also published at country level for all euro area and most non-euro area EU member states. EU and euro area aggregates are also published.[3]
In the second half of 2024, the total number of non-cash payment transactions[5] in the euro area increased by 8.6% to 77.6 billion compared with the second half of 2023, with the corresponding total value rising by 3.8% to €116.9 trillion. Card payments accounted for 57% of the total number of transactions, while credit transfers accounted for 21%, direct debits for 15% and e-money payments for 6%. The remaining 1% comprised cheques, money remittances and other payment services (see annex, Table 1).
Use of the main payment services in the euro area
(number of transactions in billions, graph on the right-hand-side refers to half-yearly data)
Source: ECB.
Note: Data have been partially estimated for periods prior to 2010, as methodological changes were implemented in those years and some data are not directly available. The historical estimations done by the ECB ensure comparability of figures over the entire period. Statistics were also collected for cheques, money remittances and other payment services which together accounted for 1% of the total number of non-cash euro area payment transactions in the second half of 2024.
In the second half of 2024 the number of card payments within the euro area increased by 11.3% to 44.3 billion compared with the second half of 2023. The corresponding total value of card payments rose by 9.4% to €1.7 trillion, reflecting an average value of around €39 per transaction. The split between remote and non-remote[6] transactions in the total number of card payments was 18% to 82%, while the split in terms of value was 28% to 72%. The number of contactless card payments initiated at a physical electronic funds transfer point of sale terminal increased by 15.5% to 29.5 billion compared with the second half of 2023, with the corresponding total value rising by 15.1% to €0.8 trillion. As a result, their share in the total number of non-remote card payments accounted for 81%, while the corresponding share in terms of value was 65%. At the national level, Lithuania continued to have the largest share of card payments as a percentage of the total number of non-cash payments in the second half of 2024, at around 79% (see annex, Table 2).
In the second half of 2024 the number of credit transfers within the euro area increased by 7.3% to 16.2 billion compared with the second half of 2023, and the corresponding total value rose by 3.6% to €108.3 trillion. As higher-value payments are usually made by credit transfer[8], they accounted for 93% of the total value of non-cash payments. The ratio of transactions initiated electronically to those initiated using paper forms was around 16 to 1, while in terms of value the ratio was around 12 to 1. At the national level, Latvia continued to have the largest share of credit transfers as a percentage of the total number of non-cash payments in the second half of 2024, at around 36% (see annex, Table 2).
In the second half of 2024 the number of direct debits within the euro area increased by 3.9% to 11.4 billion compared with the second half of 2023, and the corresponding total value rose by 8.2% to €5.4 trillion. Of the total number of direct debits, those with an electronic mandate accounted for 12% whereas those with consent given in other forms accounted for 88%, while in terms of value the split was 14% to 86%. At the national level, Germany continued to have the largest share of direct debits as a percentage of the total number of non-cash payments in the second half of 2024, at around 32% (see annex, Table 2).
In the second half of 2024 the number of e-money payment transactions within the euro area increased by 2.6% to 4.6 billion compared with the second half of 2023, and the corresponding value rose by 15.8% to €0.3 trillion. Of the total number of e-money payment transactions, those made with e-money accounts accounted for 95% whereas those made with cards on which e-money can be stored accounted for 5%, while in terms of value the split was 93% to 7%.
At the end of the second half of 2024 the number of cards with a payment function[9] had increased by 8.2% to 750.0 million compared with the number at the end of the second half of 2023. With a total euro area population of around 353 million, this implies an average of 2.1 payment cards per euro area inhabitant.
At the end of the second half of 2024 the total number of automated teller machines (ATMs) in the euro area had decreased by 3.1% to around 253.7 thousand compared with the number at the end of the second half of 2023. Of these, 33% accepted contactless transactions.
At the end of the second half of 2024 the total number of point of sale (POS) terminals had increased by 7.9% to around 20.7 million[10] compared with the corresponding number at the end of the second half of 2023. Of these terminals, 92% accepted contactless transactions.
Retail payment systems located in the euro area handle mainly payments that are made by individuals and businesses, with a relatively low value and high volume overall.
In the second half of 2024, 34 retail payment systems within the euro area processed around 56.1 billion transactions with a combined value of €26.4 trillion. Instant credit transfers accounted for 16% of the total number and for 4% of the total value of credit transfer transactions processed by euro area retail payment systems.
Retail payment systems located in the euro area differ significantly in terms of type, size and geographical scope of transactions they process. The three largest systems (MCMS[12], STEP2-T[13] and CORE (France)) processed 65% of the volume and 62% of the value of all transactions processed by the retail payment systems located in the euro area in the second half of 2024.
Main retail payment systems located in the euro area, values and numbers of transactions processed in the second half of 2024
(value of transactions in EUR trillions and number of transactions in billions)
Source: ECB.
Data on retail payment systems
Large-value payment systems form the backbone of the euro area financial market infrastructure and are designed primarily to process large-value and/or high-priority payments made between system participants for their own account or on behalf of their customers.
In the second half of 2024, large-value payment systems located in the euro area settled 74.7 million payments with a total value of €223.7 trillion in euro payments, with T2 and EURO1/STEP1 being the two main systems.[14]
Main large-value payment systems located in the euro area, values and numbers of transactions processed in the second half of 2024
(value of transactions in EUR trillions and number of transactions in millions)
Source: ECB.
Data on large-value payment systems
Source: Universities – Science Po in English
18.07.2025
The School of Research is pleased to announce that Charlotte Boucher, a PhD student in political science at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE), has been selected to participate in the OxPo PhD exchange programme between the University of Oxford and Sciences Po.
She will spend time at Oxford as a visiting academic, where she will continue her research on the links between social policies and political attitudes. Her thesis, entitled ‘Varieties of political alienation: The political effects of European welfare states’ transformations’ and supervised by Bruno Palier, focuses on the political consequences of welfare state transformations in Europe. She uses a comparative approach to analyse how these transformations influence forms of political integration. Before embarking on this project, Charlotte Boucher studied the effects of the economic crisis and government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic on European citizens’ political trust.
The OxPo (Oxford-Sciences Po) PhD exchange programme, established many years ago between the two institutions, aims to promote mobility among doctoral students and stimulate scientific collaboration. It offers participants an exceptional research environment, enabling them to enrich their work and expand their international academic network.
The Oxpo ( Oxford-Sciences Po) PhD exchange programme is supported by the Sciences Po Alumni UK Charity Trust.
Find out more:
Source: Universities – Science Po in English
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Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday after repeated disruptions by Opposition members, who raised slogans and protested the dismissal of adjournment motions.
The day’s proceedings began at 11 am but were adjourned shortly afterward due to continued uproar in both Houses. Proceedings resumed at 12 PM, only to be disrupted again.
In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs protested after their adjournment notices — seeking discussions on various pressing matters, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar — were rejected. Amid the commotion, the Upper House was adjourned till 2 pm.
The Lok Sabha also faced repeated interruptions. Speaker Om Birla urged members not to carry placards into the House and warned that strict action would be taken against those disrupting the Question Hour. Despite this, protests persisted, leading to another adjournment till 2 pm.
Before the adjournment, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya introduced two key bills in the Lok Sabha — the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The Monsoon Session will comprise 21 sittings spread over 32 days and will conclude on August 21. Both Houses will be adjourned on August 12 and reassembled on Monday, August 18, to facilitate Independence Day celebrations.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
For almost as long anyone can remember, the Nationals have caused the Coalition grief on climate and energy policy. Still, for Barnaby Joyce to bring on a fresh load of trouble – with a private member’s bill to scrap Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 – in Sussan Ley’s first parliamentary week as opposition leader was beyond provocative.
And for Michael McCormack to support him reinforced the impression the Nationals don’t give a fig about the wider interests of a Coalition confronting very dark days.
The bill will go nowhere but the issue will tear at the opposition.
Both Joyce and McCormack are former leaders, and they are former rivals. In 2021 Joyce overthrew McCormack as leader. McCormack used to be a supporter of net zero. Joyce, a deputy prime minister, did a deal with then prime minister Scott Morrison for the Nationals to back net zero before Morrison went to the Glasgow COP conference in 2021. The Nationals are their own game of snakes and ladders.
Now Joyce says he never supported the net zero target – which is sort of correct, because his own position during that deal (involving the trade off of promised huge infrastructure spending) was near impossible to fathom.
On why stir the issue in the first parliamentary week, Joyce says, “Now is the time, when the agenda has not been set”.
McCormack says he supported net zero in 2021 because Australia was suffering the trade restrictions imposed by China and needed to expand its exports to Europe, where many countries required the commitment. The farmers in his Riverina electorate wanted him to support it, he says.
Despite disclaimers, this undermines the authority of Nationals leader David Littleproud, already weakened by the events around the temporary split in the Coalition after the election. The Nationals obtained their several policy demands (that didn’t relate to net zero) but Littleproud came in for a good deal of criticism.
The Nationals are split over net zero, but it is looking increasingly difficult for those who want to preserve the commitment to hold the line. Joyce says he hopes the numbers are there in the party room to ditch it, and he suspects they are but “I don’t know”. McCormack believes the numbers are there.
While Littleproud says he is waiting for the party’s own review, under net zero opponent senator Matt Canavan, he suggested the net zero commitment was “trying to achieve the impossible rather than doing what’s sensible”.
The Liberals are divided too, but those wanting to end the commitment are in a minority. Former frontbencher Jane Hume spoke out on Wednesday, stressing how important the commitment was. “Over and over, the electorate has told us that they want to see a net zero energy future,” she told Sky. “My personal opinion is that this is profoundly important for not just the electorate, but also for our country.”
But if the Nationals repudiated the net zero target, that would embolden the Liberal critics and probably add to their number. It would drive a wedge into the Coalition, and might be serious enough to split it.
The Ley critics within the Liberals won’t be shedding any tears over the damage, now and later, that this issue will do her. Neither will Littleproud – it’s well known the two are not close.
Ley herself can only say the opposition has a working group looking at energy and emissions reduction policy. But she knows this is simply a holding position. It’s impossible to think that the working group, headed by energy spokesman Dan Tehan, can come up with any policy position that unites two diametrically opposed positions.
Tehan said of Joyce and McCormack, “They’re two steers fighting in the neighbour’s paddock”. The flaw with this dismissal is that the steers are actually part of the broad Coalition herd.
In the first question time of the new parliament, the opposition wasn’t able to score any hits on the government. The prime minister and other ministers were able to shrug off questions about Labor’s proposed tax on unrealised capital gains on big superannuation balances, and other issues. Energy Minister Chris Bowen had been handed ammunition to deploy against the opposition.
The overwhelming message of the day was that the opposition had made itself the issue. From the Coalition’s point of view, the problem is this damaging conversation will go on a long time.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. View from The Hill: Nationals’ mavericks ensure the Coalition is the issue in parliament’s first week – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-nationals-mavericks-ensure-the-coalition-is-the-issue-in-parliaments-first-week-261099
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Polytechnic University is completing the main stage of accepting documents from foreign applicants. During the large-scale campaign, the university team participated in educational exhibitions, quota selections and webinars in the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the CIS.
Since autumn 2024, the university has presented its educational programs at 39 events, including 12 face-to-face (in China, Turkey, Vietnam, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and six online exhibitions, 17 information webinars and four regional selection rounds jointly with Rossotrudnichestvo representative offices. Foreign applicants familiarized themselves with the new admission algorithms. To promote the Open Doors international Olympiad, which gives talented students a unique opportunity to enter the Polytechnic University and study for free, an interview with the winners was held. They told their compatriots about studying at SPbPU. Also, specialized webinars on the master’s and bachelor’s degree tracks were held jointly with the Global Universities Association.
This year, a unified algorithm for admission to Russian universities for foreign and Russian citizens was launched. Now foreigners participate in the general competition on an equal basis with Russian schoolchildren. The progress of admission can be monitored in real time through the competition lists, which are already available on the official website of the university. The results of the main stage of enrollment will be known in August. Based on the results of the summer campaign, additional recruitment will take place for the remaining vacancies.
An important innovation of the international Open Doors Olympiad is the opening of the bachelor’s degree program for the winners. If previously only applicants for master’s and postgraduate studies participated, now future bachelors can too. At the moment, about 300 applications have been received, and about a hundred of them are for bachelor’s degree programs. Most of the guys participating in the Olympiad represent foreign countries and do not speak Russian. Therefore, after admission, they will begin their studies with a pre-university training program.
Polytechnic University traditionally attracts great interest from applicants from key regions: the CIS countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are in the lead), China and other BRICS countries, Turkey and Latin America (especially Colombia and Ecuador). At the same time, the number of representatives of the African continent interested in studying in pre-university training programs is growing at the university. To develop this area, Polytechnic University took part in a special series of events organized by the Rosatom State Corporation. A series of exhibition and presentation webinars and educational lectures covered nuclear technologies in energy and their non-energy applications in related industries. Popular science lectures were given by Associate Professor of the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering Hamuda Khaled and Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Technosphere Safety Jamilya Idrisova. The goal is to attract students from African countries to Rosatom’s flagship universities to study in nuclear and related specialties in Russia.
A significant number of bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates choose to continue their education at SPbPU. According to preliminary data from the admissions campaign, over 2,000 applications have already been submitted for the main educational programs (bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate) under the contract, and over 800 for the preparatory faculty. Candidates within the Russian Federation Government quota are also being considered. Over 800 applications have been processed to date.
The most popular bachelor’s degree programs among applicants are economics and international relations, engineering and construction programs, IT and high technology. Of particular interest is the English-language program “International Business”.
The following areas are in demand in the Master’s program: construction, electric power engineering and electrical engineering, automation of technological processes, management, foreign regional studies, applied mechanics. The following English-language areas are also in demand: “Informatics and computing engineering”, “Biotechnical systems and technologies”, “Infocommunication technologies and communication systems”, “Development of international business”, “Intelligent systems”, “Microelectronics of infocommunication systems”, “Civil engineering” and “Molecular and cellular biotechnology”.
In postgraduate studies, technical fields (energy, construction, mechanical engineering) and biotechnology are leading.
“It is difficult to predict the results of the new admissions system, including the movement of competition lists, since this is the first such experience. We recommend that applicants closely monitor updates on the SPbPU website and be prepared for additional recruitment in August. Despite the novelty of the procedure and the complexity of the exams, the interim figures indicate a record interest in studying at the leading technical university in Russia,” said Evgeniya Satalkina, Head of the International Education Department.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China is spearheading job creation through the introduction of new occupations, providing diverse career paths and high-quality employment opportunities.
The move, led by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, will align talent development with emerging fields and bridge skill gaps, an official said on Tuesday.
According to data released by the ministry on the same day, China added 6.95 million new urban jobs nationwide in the first half of the year, achieving 58 percent of this year’s target and maintaining a year-on-year urban unemployment rate of 5 percent in June.
Various policies including introducing new occupations have been implemented to support job stability, the ministry said, adding that from August last year to date, it has launched 17 new occupations and 42 new job types.
Wang Xiaojun, deputy head of the ministry’s department of vocational capacity building, said at a news conference in Beijing that the creation of new occupations generates a greater number of high-quality employment opportunities. “It provides workers with broader and more diverse career development paths,” she said.
The rapid growth of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and big data, is creating numerous new digital professions, Wang said, citing AI-generated animation producers and unmanned aerial vehicle swarm flight planners as examples of roles emerging in response to the evolving job market.
By the end of 2024, there were about 1.62 million registered UAV owners in China, which was double the number compared with the previous year, she noted.
Wang also highlighted the rise of new professions catering to evolving consumer needs, such as indoor environmental specialists, sleep health managers and customized travel photography planners.
“The ministry plans to establish standards, enhance training and align talent development with market demands to bridge talent gaps in emerging fields,” she said.
Li Chang’an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics’ Academy of China Open Economy Studies, said the release of a new catalog each year serves, regulates and manages emerging roles.
“The emergence of numerous new roles is followed by training activities. The primary goals of releasing new occupations are standardization and training, which enable individuals to hold qualification certificates for the new positions,” he said.
New occupations play a crucial role in guiding employment, Li said. “Individuals, especially young people, are made aware of diverse job opportunities, prompting them to engage in career guidance tailored to evolving occupational categories,” he added.
The Chinese government will conduct subsidized training for 10 million candidates annually over the next three years as yet another tool to enhance employment.
Furthermore, the government will add positions in key sectors in the digital, green, silver and nighttime economies.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Opening ceremony of dragon boat race in China’s Guizhou
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
San Francisco, USA, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The global Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) Market is poised for substantial growth, with projections indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.90%, reaching a market value of approximately USD 24,097.31 million by 2032. TPUs, or Tensor Processing Units, are highly specialized application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) originally developed by Google to address the increasing demands of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) workloads.
Unlike traditional CPUs and GPUs, Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) are engineered to accelerate tensor operations—the core of neural network training and inference—by efficiently executing large-scale matrix multiplications with minimal power usage. This specialized architecture makes TPUs ideal for deep learning across industries such as healthcare (advanced imaging diagnostics), finance (algorithmic trading and fraud detection), automotive, and telecommunications.
On the government front, federal support is strong: the FY 2025 U.S. budget proposes hundreds of millions for foundational AI R&D via the NSF, AI talent initiatives, and the National AI Research Resource pilot. Additionally, in May 2024, Senate leaders called for at least USD 32 billion per year in non‑defense AI funding to maintain U.S. leadership. These commitments, combined with private-sector uptake, are accelerating TPU adoption nationwide.
Grab a Complimentary Sample Report PDF @ https://analystviewmarketinsights.com/request_sample/AV3789
Market Key Players- Detailed Competitive Insights
Why TPUs Are Gaining Momentum
Unlike general-purpose CPUs and GPUs, TPUs are engineered specifically to handle large-scale matrix operations required in artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Their architecture is tailored to perform these operations with superior efficiency and lower energy consumption, making them a preferred choice for AI model training and inference. This specialized capability enables significantly faster processing of data, accelerating development cycles in AI and reducing infrastructure costs.
With the AI industry poised to contribute over $14 trillion to the global economy by 2035, the demand for high-performance, scalable, and energy-efficient computing solutions like TPUs is accelerating. These processors are already widely adopted in data centers, cloud AI platforms, and AI research environments, acting as the backbone for high-speed machine learning tasks.
Widespread Adoption Across Key Sectors
The impact of TPUs extends across multiple industries:
Cloud platforms like Google Cloud TPU, AWS Inferentia, and Microsoft Azure AI Infrastructure are offering TPUs as-a-service, allowing organizations to scale their AI capabilities without hefty hardware investments.
Driving the Future of Edge Computing and IoT
The role of TPUs is also expanding into edge computing and Internet of Things (IoT) deployments. These chips enable AI models to operate locally on edge devices, reducing data transmission delays and enhancing real-time decision-making. In smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and connected devices, TPUs are crucial for low-latency, high-efficiency AI operations at the network edge.
As smart infrastructure and IoT ecosystems expand, TPUs will become even more integral in delivering real-time intelligence, particularly in mission-critical environments such as traffic management, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance.
Competitive Strategies and Market Trends
To remain competitive, key players in the TPU market are investing in:
A notable trend is the rise of custom TPU designs, where companies develop hardware specifically tailored to niche AI applications. Whether it’s accelerating natural language processing or optimizing vision models for robotics, these customized chips deliver precise performance gains.
Market Outlook and Future Prospects
With AI adoption accelerating across multiple industries, the demand for Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) is expected to grow exponentially. According to projections from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the global AI market could reach USD 190.6 billion by 2025, positioning TPUs as a foundational technology in this expansion.
Designed for high-speed, energy-efficient processing of complex tensor operations, TPUs enable faster training and deployment of advanced AI models. As businesses increasingly adopt data-driven strategies, TPUs are powering applications across healthcare, finance, automotive, and telecommunications, improving efficiency, decision-making, and scalability. This unique capability ensures TPUs will remain integral to the next wave of AI innovation.
TABLE OF CONTENT:
1. Tensor Processing Unit Market Overview
1.1. Study Scope
1.2. Market Estimation Years
2. Executive Summary
2.1. Market Snippet
2.1.1. Tensor Processing Unit Market Snippet by Deployment
2.1.2. Tensor Processing Unit Market Snippet by Application
2.1.3. Tensor Processing Unit Market Snippet by End User
2.1.4. Tensor Processing Unit Market Snippet by Country
2.1.5. Tensor Processing Unit Market Snippet by Region
2.2. Competitive Insights
3. Tensor Processing Unit Key Market Trends
3.1. Tensor Processing Unit Market Drivers
3.1.1. Impact Analysis of Market Drivers
3.2. Tensor Processing Unit Market Restraints
3.2.1. Impact Analysis of Market Restraints
3.3. Tensor Processing Unit Market Opportunities
3.4. Tensor Processing Unit Market Future Trends
4. Tensor Processing Unit Industry Study
4.1. PEST Analysis
4.2. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
4.3. Growth Prospect Mapping
4.4. Regulatory Framework Analysis
5. Tensor Processing Unit Market: Impact of Escalating Geopolitical Tensions
5.1. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
5.2. Impact of Russia-Ukraine War
5.3. Impact of Middle East Conflicts
6. Tensor Processing Unit Market Landscape
6.1. Tensor Processing Unit Market Share Analysis, 2024
6.2. Breakdown Data, by Key Manufacturer
6.2.1. Established Players’ Analysis
6.2.2. Emerging Players’ Analysis……
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Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
News
Atos Renewed as a Google Cloud Partner Managed Service Provider, Supporting Continued Cloud Transformation and Innovation
Paris, France – July 23, 2025 – Atos, a global leader in digital transformation and managed services, today announced the renewal of its status as a Google Cloud Managed Service Provider (MSP), reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two organizations. This renewal reaffirms Atos’ continued excellence in delivering cloud-native services, scalable infrastructure solutions, and end-to-end digital modernization to enterprises worldwide.
As a Premier Google Cloud Partner and a certified Google Cloud MSP, Atos will continue to provide advanced support, optimization, and AI-driven management of Google Cloud environments for customers across industries, accelerating their digital journeys to AI solutions and maximizing the value of their cloud investments. The renewed recognition highlights Atos’ proven expertise in cloud migration, data analytics, AI, security, and application modernization.
“We are proud to be renewed as a Google Cloud Managed Service Provider, a testament to our ongoing commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and delivering measurable outcomes for our clients,” said Alexa Vandenbempt, Head of Group Partnerships, Atos. “This renewal strengthens our long-standing strategic partnership and enables us to further support organizations in achieving agility, scalability and sustainable growth. This continues our momentum following our recent Google Cloud Partner of the Year Award for Crisis Response & Resilience.”
Google Cloud’s MSP initiative recognizes partners that meet rigorous standards for technical proficiency, customer success, and service delivery. Atos’ renewal follows a comprehensive audit of its capabilities, customer impact, and ongoing investment in Google Cloud technologies and talent development.
This milestone builds on a decade-long collaboration between Atos and Google Cloud, which includes joint go-to-market initiatives including co-innovation labs, Bare Metal Solution, Google Cloud VMware Engine and Database Modernization for AI.
For more information, please visit: Atos and Google Cloud – Atos
***
About Atos Group
Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 72,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 10 billion, operating in 68 countries under two brands — Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.
The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.
Press contact
Isabelle Grangé | isabelle.grange@atos.net | +33 (0) 6 64 56 74 88
Attachment
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Critical infrastructure organisations face increased security, compatibility, performance, cost, and compliance risks if they delay upgrading to Windows 11.
Bracknell, UK. 23rd July 2025 – Panasonic TOUGHBOOK has released research revealing the challenges and concerns for organisations navigating Windows 10 end-of-life and migrating to the Windows 11 operating system*. With support for Windows 10 ceasing on 14th October 2025, Panasonic’s research shows organisations that have not yet completed their migration are concerned about security risks, costs, and software compatibility issues arising from out-of-support software.
Panasonic’s whitepaper, ‘Navigating the Shift: The Business Case for Upgrading to Windows 11’ also explores the extent of hardware refreshes needed to support Windows 11, and reveals concerns about the impact of device downtime during upgrade cycles.
Standing still presents significant security risks and cost implications
One of the biggest challenges surveyed organisations face is the security risk of inaction or delaying their Windows 11 migration. Ninety-eight percent of organisations surveyed say they are ‘likely’ to invest in Microsoft’s Extended Security Update (ESU) if they have not completed migration to Windows 11 by October.
More than half (58%) are not confident that they will be able to manage device security without either completing the migration or investing in ESU. They are concerned that if they don’t migrate or purchase ESU, they will be exposed to higher ransomware and malware risk (94%), data breaches (93%), a lack of patches for new security threats (91%), compliance risks (89%) and the impact on business reputation (88%).
Cost is another concerning factor for organisations delaying their Windows 11 migration beyond October 2025. Two-thirds predict that they’ll face higher costs overall, with 55% expecting these will come in the form of higher cybersecurity expenses. With Microsoft advising that an enterprise with 1,000 devices will face an ESU bill for approximately £320,000 over the three years that ESU is available, the cost of delay is tangible and immediate
In addition, 48% predict increased support costs and 46% believe business continuity risks will have cost implications. Increased maintenance costs (40%) and hardware costs (38%) are also factors.
Software upgrade means hardware replacement and reduced productivity
Surveyed organisations operate an average of 4,000 devices and estimate that 62% either have been, or will still need to be replaced or upgraded, to ensure compatibility with Windows 11. This rises to 76% of devices in organisations with more than 5,000 employees.
Almost half (45%) of respondents see challenges around the loss of productivity due to downtime when devices are being upgraded. Consequently 75% are adopting a phased approach. One-quarter (25%) are delaying software upgrades to coincide with device replacement. Application and business software compatibility issues are another migration challenge, cited by 47%.
Upgrades will be managed through a combination of remote upgrades (46%) and in-person upgrades (54%), with 64% expecting to draw heavily on device manufacturer support during the process.
Benefits of migration outweigh risks of delay
Respondents currently migrating to Windows 11 expect to unlock important benefits around security and protection (44%), performance and processing power (36%) and having a future-proofed device ecosystem (36%). They also seek to leverage AI features such as Microsoft Copilot or Bing AI (34%) as well as deploying Edge AI capabilities in the field (29%).
Chris Turner, Head of Go-to-Market, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK Europe, comments: “The window is closing for organisations to make a well-planned, measured and cost-effective transition to Windows 11 and start unlocking its benefits. The cost, security, and performance risks of delay are steadily increasing as the end-of-life deadline approaches, which is especially concerning in the critical sectors we surveyed including emergency services, field services and utilities, and defence organisations.
“Organisations that are still to undertake Windows 11 migration need support to ensure their deployment is not rushed and risky. Panasonic TOUGHBOOK offers customers full transition support to ensure a seamless migration experience, maintain productivity and take the uncertainty from the process. By acting now, businesses can avoid incurring both cost and risk beyond October 2025,” adds Turner.
To download the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK whitepaper, ‘Navigating the Shift: The Business Case for Upgrading to Windows 11’, please click here: https://eu.connect.panasonic.com/gb/en/whitepapers/navigating-shift-business-case-upgrading-windows-11
For more information on how Panasonic’s Mobile-IT As-a-Service offering can help your organisation migrate to Windows 11, click here: https://eu.connect.panasonic.com/gb/en/toughbook/Mobile-IT-As-A-Service
*Research Methodology
Panasonic commissioned research from 200 decision makers from the UK and Germany (100 each) in March 2025. Respondents are involved with purchasing decisions and working for organisations with 1,000+ employees, in field services and utilities; defence; emergency services; automotive; supply chain and logistics; and manufacturing sectors.
Panasonic Press Contact
Lisbeth Lashmana
Head of European Marketing, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK
Lisbeth.Lashmana@eu.panasonic.com
Panasonic Press Contact
Jim Pople
C8 Consulting
jim@c8consulting.co.uk
About the Panasonic Group
Founded in 1918, and today a global leader in developing innovative technologies and solutions for wide-ranging applications in the consumer electronics, housing, devices, B2B solutions and energy sectors worldwide, the Panasonic Group switched to an operating company system on April 1, 2022, with Panasonic Holdings Corporation serving as a holding company. The Group reported consolidated net sales of Euro 51.6 billion (8,458.2 billion yen) for the year ended March 31, 2025. To learn more about the Panasonic Group, please visit: https://holdings.panasonic/global/
About Panasonic Connect Europe GmbH
Panasonic Connect Europe began operations on October 1st, 2021, creating a new Business-to-Business focused and agile organisation. With more than 400 employees and led by CEO Shusuke Aoki, the business aims to contribute to the success of its customers with innovative products and integrated systems and services – all designed to deliver its vision to Change Work, Advance Society and Connect to Tomorrow.
Panasonic Connect Europe is headquartered in Wiesbaden and consist of the following business units:
For more information please visit: https://eu.connect.panasonic.com
Please visit Panasonic Connect Europe’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/panasonic-connect-europe/
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney
Childcare centres will lose their eligibility for fee subsidies if they don’t meet safety standards, according to a new bill introduced to parliament on Wednesday.
As Education Minister Jason Clare told parliament:
it will give us the power to cut off funding to childcare centres that aren’t up to scratch.
The bill follows recent allegations a Victorian childcare worker abused children in his care. There have also been allegations of abuse in centres in New South Wales and Queensland. Labor has warned lower house MPs it can expect late nights next week, to try to get this bill and the governments’ plan to cut HELP debts through parliament.
What’s in the bill? What does it mean for families? And what’s missing?
Clare told parliament the federal government’s childcare subsidy currently covers about 70% of the average cost of running a centre.
This legislation gives the federal education department the power to suspend or cancel that funding if a centre “is not meeting the quality, safety and other compliance requirements,” according to the national system of early childhood regulation.
The department could also stop a childcare operator from opening a new service if there are problems with existing services.
It applies to all types of early childhood services from daycare centres to family daycare, and also before and after school care.
The federal education department will also have new powers to do spot checks in services (this is on top of state authorities who can already do checks).
It is positive to see strengthened measures to take a providers’ track record into account before saying “yes you can open another service”. This is a slightly more proactive measure, in addition to punishments for services that do not comply.
We are also seeing more transparency. The bill will provide new powers to publicise when a provider is refused approval for a new service.
It can also publish other compliance action taken against providers, such as when conditions are applied – and the details of those conditions. Or if a fine has been imposed.
This means families and the broader public – including any shareholders – will also be more aware of what is going on in childcare services.
While the Coalition and the Greens are broadly supportive of the bill, they also want to see further changes.
Clare told parliament the bill is not the only measure the federal government was making around childcare standards.
State and federal education ministers are due to meet next month to discuss child safety. This includes a national register to track early childhood workers from centre to centre, mandatory “child safety training”, CCTV for centres and other recommendations from the recent Wheeler review on the NSW early childhood sector.
Attorneys general will also meet next month to discuss how to improve working with children checks.
Read more:
What are working with children checks? Why aren’t they keeping kids safe at daycare?
We also need to think about the practical consequences of the bill. If the childcare subsidy was removed from any service – whether they are private or not-for-profit – they would quickly become unviable.
Without the subsidy (which reduces out-of-pocket costs for parents), many families would not be able to afford childcare.
If a service is going to have access to the subsidy taken away, how much notice should families get? These details need thoughtful consideration.
If the federal education department is going to have a team of people doing checks on services, we also need to ask, how will this work? How quickly will they be able to do these checks? One of the issues with the current system is there are long delays between assessments. This suggests it will need careful planning and it will also cost some money.
Beyond these questions, there is the bigger picture of childcare quality in Australia. The system is complex but people who educate and care for children are at the heart of it.
My recent research has revealed educators are only spending 30% of their time on undistracted and uninterrupted time with children. This is due to the heavy and sometimes competing demands of their work, including administrative and cleaning duties. Educators say this diminishes their capacity to provide quality education and care.
Heavy and distracting workloads, along with widespread reports of understaffing and breaches to minimum staff-to-child ratios, makes it difficult for educators to keep children safe.
So meaningful reform must consider educators’ experiences, and include strategies to increase support for educators to do their jobs well.
Erin Harper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Childcare centres will have funding stripped if they’re not ‘up to scratch’. Is this enough? – https://theconversation.com/childcare-centres-will-have-funding-stripped-if-theyre-not-up-to-scratch-is-this-enough-261761
Source: APO – Report:
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The Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) is set to kick off action towards strengthening and harmonising the framework of policies, procedures, and practices that ensure healthcare data is managed, protected, and used responsibly throughout its lifecycle — health data governance — across the continent.
The landmark commitment on health data governance was made at the 2025 Africa Health ExCon, held in Cairo, Egypt, during a roundtable on ‘Strengthening Health Data Governance in Africa in the Artificial Intelligence Era’, co-hosted by Africa CDC, AUDA-NEPAD and Transform Health.
Africa CDC announced that it will lead efforts to develop a Continental Health Data Governance Framework, to be tabled for endorsement by Member States at the AU Summit in February 2026.
“Such a framework would establish an agreement between Member States around optimal legislation and regulation for the effective and equitable governance of health data, and build continental alignment and collaboration around a harmonised African position on health data governance that supports cross-border data flows, with the needed protections in place,” said Dr Martha Terefe, Deputy Chief of Staff, Africa CDC, in her welcome remarks.
“Data is king, but governance is the throne,” said Dr Esperance Luvindao, Minister of Health and Social Services in Namibia.
Dr Luvindao couldn’t have been more urgent. In today’s era of digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, it is crucial to treat data as a valuable asset rather than allowing it to become a liability. Health data should inform decision-making, help predict disease outbreaks, and guide policy development. However, without reliable, ethical, and coordinated governance, we risk losing control over this invaluable resource.
“Health data is powerful. When governed well, it can strengthen health systems, improve health outcomes, support real-time decision-making, and close equity gaps. It can enable what we call precision public health — the ability to tailor interventions based on real, timely, and localised data,” said Dr Terefe.
The Framework will be informed by the AU Data Policy Framework and existing good practice and approaches currently employed by countries, while building on existing norms and standards, including the equity and rights-based principles set out in the widely endorsed Health Data Governance Principles.
Africa CDC, at the request of Member States, has further committed to providing technical assistance and normative guidance to Member States to strengthen local capacity and support the development or enhancement of national health data governance legislation and regulation.
“The commitment reflects the collective resolve of the continental agency to strengthen the governance, protection, and responsible use of health data as a cornerstone for equitable, resilient, and people-centred health systems,” said Judith Nguimfack, Principal Digital Delivery Specialist, Africa CDC, who moderated the session.
In the face of a fast and ever-evolving governance landscape in the era of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, Africa CDC is marking a turning point in Africa’s digital and health transformation agenda. It anchors health data as a strategic asset to drive evidence-based policymaking, ensure data sovereignty, enhance public health outcomes, boost innovation, streamline the industry, and uphold the rights and trust of African citizens.
The commitment towards a harmonised Continental Framework will foster the exchange of experiences and good practices across the continent, establish a common understanding and agreement around essential legislative provisions, support legal coherence across jurisdictions, enhance trust and facilitate cross-border data sharing and promote the development and scaling up of innovations across countries.
The commitment builds on the African Union’s existing instruments like the Malabo Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection (2014), the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2034 (STISA-2034), the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030), the Africa CDC Digital Transformation Strategy (2023), The AU Data Policy Framework (2022), and the AU Continental AI Strategy (2024–2030). It complements ongoing initiatives under Africa CDC, the Africa Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies – APET, AUDA-NEPAD, and the African Union Commission.
The ongoing work of the Africa CDC Flagship Initiative on Health Data Governance, launched in 2023, aims to support regional efforts to strengthen health data governance.The initiative will support these efforts, including leveraging recent resources, tools, technical support packages, research, and the collective support of flagship partners.
“This commitment by Africa CDC represents an important milestone on this journey. As one of the Flagship co-chairs, Transform Health is committed to continuing to support these efforts — towards more robust health data governance that safeguards rights, strengthens systems, and unlocks the potential of data for health for all in the digital age,” said Mathilde Forslund, Executive Director, Transform Health.
– on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).