Demographic changes in Europe are having an immense impact on our societies and entail challenges, not least for the labour market, pension systems and an increased need for health and social care. The Swedish Presidency has invited EU Member States and other actors to a high-level meeting on active and autonomous ageing, 13 –14 February, where they will discuss how to tackle the issues related to Europe’s ageing population. Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje will host the conference. Among the participants will be the Estonian Minister of Social Protection, the Danish Minister for Senior Citizens, and the Minister for Active Ageing from Malta.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth
There are masked men, and some women, on the streets in American cities, sometimes travelling in unmarked cars, often carrying weapons and wearing military-style kit. They have the power to identify, arrest, detain non-citizens and deport undocumented immigrants. They also have the right to interrogate any individual who they believe is not a citizen over their right to remain in the US.
These are agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, known as Ice. This is a federal law enforcement agency, which falls under the control of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and is playing a significant and contentious role in the implementation of Donald Trump’s tough immigration policy.
On the campaign trail Trump promised “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history”. And he is giving Ice more power to deliver his plans.
Since Trump took office in January, Ice funding has been significantly increased. Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, passed by Congress in July 2025, gave Ice US$75 billion (£55 billion) of funding for the next four years, up from around US$8 billion a year.
This funding boost will allow the agency to recruit more agents as well as adding thousands more beds plus extensions to buildings to increase the capacity of detention centres. There is also new funding for advanced surveillance tools including AI-assisted facial recognition and mobile data collection. There’s another US$30 billion going to frontline operations, covering removing immigrants and transport to detention centres.
The president has committed to deporting everyone who is in the US illegally, that is estimated by the Wall Street Journal to be about 4% of the current US population. For the past five months, the numbers of people being picked up by Ice agents has been ticking up fast.
Average daily arrests were up 268% to about 1,000 a day in June 2025, compared with the same month a year earlier. This was also a 42% rise on May 2025, according to data analysis from the Guardian and the Deportation Data Project. However, this is still considerably short of the 3,000 a day ordered by secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Ice’s tactics have already attracted significant criticism. Right-leaning broadcaster Fox News has reported on how masked agents are not showing ID or naming their agency when picking up people in raids. Other reporting has highlighted allegations that American citizens are also sometimes being swept up in the raids.
The agency, currently led by acting director Todd M. Lyons, has three main divisions: the Enforcement and Removal Operations division, which identifies and deports undocumented immigrants as well as manages detention centres. The Homeland Security Investigations, which investigates criminal activities with an international or border nexus such as human trafficking, narcotics, and weapons smuggling. The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor provides legal advice to Ice and prosecutes immigration cases in court.
Lyons claimed that mask wearing was necessary because of Ice agents being “doxed” – when a person’s personal information such as names and home addresses are revealed online without their permission. Assaults on Ice agents have risen, he claimed. DHS data suggested that there were 79 assaults on Ice agents from January to June 2025, compared to ten in the same period in 2024.
Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries compared mask wearing by Ice agents to secret police forces in authoritarian regimes. “We’re not behind the Iron Curtain. This is not the 1930s.”
The Ice agency was established in 2003 by the George W. Bush administration, partly as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and was part of a broader reorganisation of federal agencies under the then newly created DHS. It incorporated parts of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and some elements of the US Customs Service.
According to the agency’s website, Ice’s core mission is “to protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety”.
News coverage of Ice agents wearing masks and not identifying themselves.
What’s changed?
At the start of the administration in January, the White House gave Ice the authority to hasten the deportation of immigrants that had entered the country with government authorisation during the previous administration. This “expedited removal” authority allowed Ice to deport individuals without requiring an appearance before an immigration judge.
As arrests have grown in the past months, Lyons told CBS News that Ice would detain any undocumented immigrant, even if they did not have a criminal record.
And the Trump administration has also allowed Ice agents to make arrests at immigration courts, which had previously been off limits. This restriction was introduced by the Biden administration in 2021 to ensure witnesses, victims of crimes and defendants would still appear in court without fear of arrest for immigration violations, unless the target was a national security threat.
Protests over Ice raids have spread across California.
However, Lyons rescinded those restrictions in May, part of a broader shift towards aggressive enforcement.
Much of the time, Ice has targeted illegal immigrants. But the agency has also arrested and detained some individuals who were residents (green card holders) or tourists – and, in some cases, citizens.
In recent weeks, according to the Washington Post, Ice has been ordered to increase the number of immigrants shackled with GPS-enabled ankle monitors. This would significantly increase the number of immigrants that are under surveillance. Ankle monitors also restrict where people can travel.
Sparking protests
There have been numerous public protests about Ice raids, most notably in California. This peaked on June 6 after Ice had conducted numerous raids in Los Angeles, resulting in clashes between agents and protesters. This led to the White House sending around 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, despite opposition from California governor Gavin Newsom.
Part of the friction between the Trump administation and the state is that Los Angeles and San Francisco have adopted local policies to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities including Ice. California has sanctuary laws, such as SB 54, that prohibit local police and sheriffs from assisting Ice with civil immigration enforcement.
However, Trump shows every sign of pushing harder and faster to crack down on illegal immigrants, and Ice agents are clearly at the forefront of how he aims to do it.
Dafydd Townley 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.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after voting on the Senate floor for Joint Resolutions of Disapproval concerning sales of weapons to Israel:
“The starvation and suffering that we are watching unfold in Gaza is unimaginable and heartbreaking. There is simply no way to defend it, and it has to stop.
“I have been crystal clear since the day of Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on Israel that they have the right to defend themselves, respond, and bring the hostages home. I still believe that. I also firmly believe that this Netanyahu government must protect innocent Palestinian families and prevent children from starving – and right now, they are not doing that. I cannot stand idly by.
“This vote is about sending a loud and clear message to Netanyahu and the Trump Administration that they must urgently act to end this war, surge food and aid to innocent Palestinians, and finally bring all the remaining hostages home.”
India’s gold consumption in 2025 is set to fall to a five-year low, as record-high prices are denting jewellery purchases, overshadowing a slight boost in investment demand, the World Gold Council said on Thursday.
Gold demand in the world’s second-biggest consumer of the precious metal could stand between 600 metric tons and 700 metric tons in 2025, the lowest since 2020, and down from last year’s 802.8 tons, Sachin Jain, CEO of WGC’s Indian operations, told Reuters.
Demand could reach 700 tons if prices stabilise, but a 10%–15% price rise driven by geopolitical factors may pull it down to the lower end of the range, he said.
Local gold prices MAUc1, which hit a record high of 101,078 rupees per 10 grams in June, have risen 28% so far in 2025, after a 21% gain in 2024.
India’s gold consumption in the April-to-June quarter fell 10% from a year ago to 134.9 tons, as jewellery demand fell 17% while investment demand rose 7% in the quarter, the WGC said.
Demand in the September quarter is expected to be lower than last year’s 248.3 tons, when New Delhi’s move to reduce import duties boosted purchases, Jain said.
The precious metal has been outperforming other asset classes, drawing investors who favour both physical gold and gold exchange traded funds, he said.
“Gold ETFs in India are at a very important cusp for growth, and as India becomes more digitised, they are gaining popularity and prominence,” he said.
Gold ETFs in India saw inflows surge ten-fold month-on-month to 20.81 billion rupees ($237.5 million) in June, hitting a five-month high, data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India showed earlier this month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday discussed ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
In a telephonic conversation, the two leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral cooperation and discussed ways to further deepen engagement across key sectors. They underscored the growing collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, energy, digital infrastructure, and people-to-people ties.
Prime Minister Modi and President Sheikh Mohamed also expressed satisfaction with the trajectory of the relationship and agreed to continue working closely to expand cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations.
During the call, Sheikh Mohamed congratulated PM Modi on becoming the second longest-serving Prime Minister in India’s history and conveyed his best wishes for continued success in his leadership.
The Prime Minister thanked the UAE President for his warm wishes and the affection expressed for the people of India.
India and the UAE have significantly expanded their bilateral relationship in recent years, with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2017, serving as a key framework for cooperation across multiple sectors.
Extreme weather killed at least eight people in the city of Chengde just outside the Chinese capital Beijing, with 18 still unaccounted for, as heavy rainfall pounded the hilly region over the past week.
The deaths occurred in villages within the Xinglong area of Chengde in Hebei province, state-run Xinhua reported late on Wednesday citing local authorities, without specifying when or how the people died.
Work is still underway to locate those missing, Xinhua said.
Set against mountainous terrain, Chengde was known as a resort town for Qing dynasty emperors to escape Beijing’s heat in the summer centuries ago.
Extreme rains that began last Wednesday have lashed Beijing and surrounding regions, pouring a year’s worth of rain in less than a week in some areas and killing at least 30 in the outskirts of the capital. Twenty eight of those deaths occurred in hilly Miyun district.
The deaths in Chengde occurred in villages which border Miyun and sit about 25 km (16 miles) away from the Miyun reservoir, the largest in China’s north.
The reservoir saw record-breaking inflow and outflow of water, and overall water level and capacity during this round of rainfall which devastated nearby towns.
At its peak on Sunday, up to 6,550 cubic metres of water – about 2.5 Olympic-sized pools – flooded into the reservoir every second, pushing its capacity to a record high of 3.63 billion cubic metres since it was built in 1960.
The villages where eight have died sit on higher elevations in a valley, upstream of the Miyun reservoir.
In another village to the north of the reservoir, a landslide on Monday killed eight people while four remained missing.
Extreme rainfall and severe flooding, which meteorologists link to climate change, increasingly pose major challenges for Chinese policymakers, with officials partially attributing a slowdown in factory activities to heavy rains and flooding.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
RSV vaccine prevents hospitalisation in older people and newborns
RSV vaccines are 82% effective for older people and 72% for newborns when mothers are vaccinated at least 14 days before birth.
A new UK Health Security Agency study – Effectiveness of RSV Vaccine Against RSV Associated Hospitalisation Among Adults Aged 75 to 79 years in England – in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals and other NHS trusts, shows the RSV vaccine provided strong protection for older people, around 82% effective in preventing hospital admissions with RSV infection.
The study also found that the vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalisation for older people with a chronic respiratory condition and those living with immunosuppression.
Two new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced to the NHS Vaccination Schedule in September last year; an older adults programme and a maternal programme.
The programme for older adults offers the vaccine to those turning 75, as well as a one-off catch up campaign for all adults aged 75 to79 years.
The maternal vaccination programme is offered to women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect newborns, who are at higher risk of severe illness from RSV.
A separate new study – Vaccination in Pregnancy and RSV Hospitalisation in Infants in the UK, led by NHS paediatricians, published in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health – found that the maternal RSV vaccine was 72% effective in preventing hospitalisation for infants whose mothers were vaccinated more than 14 days before delivery.
UKHSA has also today published the latest vaccine uptake figures for both RSV programmes, including the:
older adults programme: overall coverage as of 30 June 2025 in the catch-up cohort (adults aged 75 to 79) reached 62.9%, up from the 60.3% reported in March
maternal programme: of the 36,657 women reported as having given birth in March 2025, 20,051 (54.7%) had received an RSV vaccine
maternal coverage varied by ethnic group with the highest coverage reported among the Chinese ethnic group (73.3%) and lowest among Black and Black British Caribbean (26.4%)
Greta Hayward, Consultant Midwife at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
Having the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy is the best way for women to protect their newborn against RSV, as the vaccine boosts their immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus, and these then pass through the placenta to help protect their baby from the day they are born. RSV infects around 90% of children in their first 2 years of life.
The RSV season usually starts in October and while there is no risk-free birth month, babies born in late summer or the autumn are most likely to be admitted to hospital. Hundreds of babies attend Emergency Departments each day for bronchiolitis through most of November and December. That is why it is so important that over the summer pregnant women reaching 28 weeks of pregnancy, ensure they are vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr Conall Watson, Immunisation Consultant at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
The evidence clearly shows the RSV vaccine for pregnant women is highly effective and will give much reassurance to parents, knowing their newborn is protected from birth, when they are at much greater risk from RSV.
As a parent and health professional I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy. We recommend vaccination in week 28 or soon after but if you are later on in your pregnancy and still haven’t had your vaccine please contact your maternity service or GP practice to arrange one.
RSV can be a particularly serious infection for older people, so this new evidence will also give much reassurance that having the RSV jab will greatly reduce their chances of ending up in hospital.
While the uptake of the RSV vaccine continues to rise, we want to see every single pregnant woman and eligible older person getting protected. The virus picks up in the autumn, so don’t put if off over the summer – as soon as you reach your 75th birthday or week 28 of pregnancy get the vaccine for healthy peace of mind.
UKHSA has published its first RSV Annual Report, which looks back at the 2024 to 2025 RSV season, providing analysis on disease pattern, vaccine uptake and vaccine impact.
The surveillance shows RSV activity started across all UK nations around week 42 of 2024 (week starting 14 October) and peaked around weeks 47 to 49 2024 (18 November to 8 December), before steadily declining and reaching baseline activity around weeks 7 to 8 2025 (10 to 23 February).
The Report also details UKHSA’s analysis from the primary care surveillance, which involves swabbing in around 300 GP Practices in England when a patient presents with an acute respiratory infection (ARI). This found that by age group, the highest RSV positivity (% of laboratory confirmed RSV cases out of total ARI swabs) was observed in children under 5 years; with positivity peaking at 53.1% in week 46 (11-17 November).
Among those aged 75 years and above, the highest RSV positivity rate was 18.5% reported in week 49 (2 to 8 December).
Surveillance of patients attending hospital emergency departments (ED) in England found that among infants (babies under 1), bronchiolitis peaked in late November. This is the main clinical presentation of infant RSV and RSV is the primary pathogen causing bronchiolitis.
Price and non-price credit terms and conditions remained largely unchanged between March 2025 and May 2025, tightening slightly for certain counterparty types
Demand for lending against collateral and financing rates/spreads increased across all asset classes except equities
Tariff turmoil in April 2025 had a limited but slightly negative impact on bank clients’ ability to meet margin calls
Price and non-price credit terms and conditions remained largely unchanged between March 2025 and May 2025, with a slight tightening of non-price terms across banks and dealers, non-financial corporations and sovereigns. For price terms, survey responses indicated no net change. General market liquidity and functioning was most frequently cited as the primary driver behind tightening. Looking ahead, some survey respondents expect credit terms and conditions to ease slightly in the third quarter of 2025. However, the vast majority (86%) stated that, overall, no changes were foreseen (Chart 1).
Chart 1
Expected and realised quarterly changes in overall credit terms and price/non-price terms offered to counterparties across all transaction types
(net percentages of survey respondents)
Source: ECB.
Note: Net percentages are calculated as the difference between the percentage of respondents reporting “tightened somewhat” or “tightened considerably” and the percentage reporting “eased somewhat” or “eased considerably”.
Turning to financing conditions for funding secured against the various types of collateral, financing rates/spreads increased across nearly all collateral types except equities for both average and most-favoured clients, reversing the decline observed in the preceding quarter. Furthermore, respondents indicated that demand for funding secured against any type of collateral except equities increased in the most recent period (Chart 2). Maximum maturities of funding decreased slightly for most collateral types, especially for government bonds, with only high-quality, non-financial corporate bonds showing a small net increase.
Chart 2
Securities financing transactions experienced an increase in financing rates/spreads and demand for funding, except for equities
a) Change in financing rates/spreads for average clients by collateral type
b) Change in overall demand for term funding by collateral type
(net percentages of survey respondents, inverted)
(net percentages of survey respondents, inverted)
Source: ECB.
Note: Net percentages are calculated as the difference between the percentage of respondents reporting “decreased somewhat” or “decreased considerably” and the percentage reporting “increased somewhat” or “increased considerably”.
Against the background of broadly unchanged credit terms and conditions for the various types of non-centrally cleared over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, including initial margin requirements, survey respondents pointed out a few changes regarding credit limits, liquidity and valuation disputes. The volume of valuation disputes increased for a few types of derivatives, particularly foreign exchange derivatives and credit derivatives referencing structured credit products. The maximum allowed exposure decreased for interest rate and commodity derivatives, while it increased slightly for credit derivatives. This was paired with reported improvements in the liquidity and trading of credit derivatives.
The survey found that the US tariff announcements on 2 April had a limited but slightly negative impact on clients’ ability to meet margin calls. At the same time, the announcements did not significantly increase forced asset sales. The survey also featured a set of special questions examining euro area government bond (EGB) repo market activity and trading strategies. A large majority of respondents confirmed that they had engaged in trades combining EGB repo and reverse repo transactions, with margin offsets being a common practice for these types of transactions. However, other EGB repo trades were less common, such as those in combination with EGB futures or other interest rate derivatives. Yield curve or duration trades were named the most popular trades among client hedge funds, although alternative strategies, including cash-futures basis trades and intra-euro area sovereign repo trades, were also prevalent. Moreover, the majority of respondents indicated they had conducted a material number of EGB repo or reverse repo transactions as non-CCP bilateral trades in the last year and that they also expected the share of these trades to increase further over the next year.
The SESFOD survey is conducted four times a year and covers changes in credit terms and conditions over three-month reference periods ending in February, May, August and November. The June 2025 survey collected qualitative information on changes between March 2025 and May 2025. The results are based on the responses received from a panel of 26 large banks, comprising 14 euro area banks and 12 banks with head offices outside the euro area.
For media queries, please contactVerena Reith, tel.: +49 172 2570849.
This material provides an overview of Sweden’s work to combat men’s violence against women. Stopping men’s violence against women is a priority issue for the Swedish Government. In 2016, a ten-year national strategy to prevent and counter men’s violence against women was adopted. The strategy applies to the period 2017–2026 and particularly emphasises preventive measures.
The countries are working together to build economic resiliency and provide new market opportunities for Canadian and Swedish businesses. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and Ebba Busch, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden made the following statement.
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Press will launch a new book this evening that explores the diverse ways in which the Jukskei River has influenced the cultural, social, political and scientific narratives of Johannesburg.
Titled ‘Johannesburg from the Riverbanks: Navigating the Jukskei’, this engaging volume is edited by Mehita Iqani and Renugan Raidoo.
According to HSRC, this innovative volume brings together an array of interdisciplinary voices, shedding light on the complex and often tangled relationships between the city and this vital waterway.
Five different launches have been organised, starting with the launch at Exclusive Books in Rosebank on Thursday, 31 July 2025, from 6:30 pm.
The organisation said the book builds on the insightful discussions and interdisciplinary perspectives shared at the 2022 Riparian Urbanism Conference, which brought together a diverse range of voices to explore the complex relationship between the city and this river.
“From the bustling inner city to the tranquil northern suburbs, the Jukskei’s history acts as a mirror reflecting the city’s growth, struggles and stark inequalities.
“Readers will uncover the dynamic interaction of memories, identities, and aspirations that the river embodies, all while addressing the urgent environmental challenges resulting from modernisation.”
Professor Emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand, Isabel Hofmeyr, said this “treasure trove of a book” tells stories of how Johannesburg and the Jukskei River make each other.
“A sparkling compendium of chapters and images by artists, activists, scientists, urban planners, and historians will make you think about the river in new ways,” she said.
Professor of History at the University of the Witwatersrand, Mucha Musemwa, believes the book not only investigates the Jukskei River itself but also enriches the city’s understanding of Johannesburg in refreshing ways.
“[It is] an invigorating read for anyone interested in the intersection of nature and urban life,” he said.
The Head of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, Noor Nieftagodien, believes that authors highlight how the processes of modernisation, such as the mining industry and urbanisation, have contaminated this historic waterway.
Nieftagodien said they also illustrate how the banks of the river reflect the city’s significant inequalities.
“Yet, amidst these challenges, artists and activists offer hope by reimagining our relationship with the river, making this a crucial contribution to current conversations about environmental crises,” Nieftagodien added.
The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed five officials for corruption and sexual assault.
“On Monday, 28 July 2025, the Department of Home Affairs dismissed a further five officials, with immediate effect, for offences ranging from fraud to sexual assault. The total number of officials dismissed between July 2024 and July 2025 now stands at 38,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry said eight officials have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 18 years, while the criminal prosecution of another 19 is underway.
“These dismissals follow on the crackdown on a passport syndicate in Durban just last month, where two officials and three members of the public were arrested. These results demonstrate the growing success of Home Affairs in dealing with criminal syndicates both inside and outside the department,” said the Ministry.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the days of defrauding the department are over.
“In just 12 months, we have already rid Home Affairs of 38 crooked and delinquent officials. I repeat my warning to anyone involved in corruption: the days of defrauding this department or committing acts of sexual harassment or abuse while relying on long drawn-out disciplinary processes, are over.”
The Minister thanked the department’s diligent officials, including those involved in accelerating disciplinary processes, who are playing a critical role “in our work to clean up Home Affairs”.
“Committed officials like these are the future of Home Affairs, as we continue to work together as #TeamHomeAffairs to clean out the corrupt elements that represent the past,” said the Minister.-SAnews.gov.za
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Directors banned after Stoke firm made hundreds of thousands of nuisance calls
The company also received a £150,000 fine from the Information Commissioner’s Office
Mohammed Liaqat and Rubani Ghulam were directors of a company which harassed people with nuisance cold-calls in 2020 and 2021
Posh Windows UK Ltd, based in Stoke-on-Trent, made more than 400,000 unsolicited marketing calls trying to sell home improvements within a nine-month period
Both have now been disqualified as company directors following investigations by the Insolvency Service
Two businessmen from Stoke-on-Trent who allowed their home improvements company to make hundreds of thousands of nuisance cold-calls have been banned as directors.
Mohammed Liaqat, 37, and Rubani Ghulam, 55, were directors of Posh Windows UK Ltd, which specialised in a range of products including windows, doors and conservatories.
However, the company made 461,062 unsolicited marketing calls in a nine-month period between August 2020 and April 2021.
The calls were to people who had registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), a statutory register of people who have said they do not want to receive marketing calls.
Posh Windows UK Ltd was fined £150,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2022 but went into liquidation in the same year without having paid any of the fine.
Liaqat, of Clarke Street, and Ghulam, of Thorndyke Street, have now been disqualified as company directors for four years.
Simon Gillett, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
Mohammed Liaqat and Rubani Ghulam allowed their company to make nearly half a million nuisance calls to people who had explicitly said they did not want to receive marketing calls, causing significant inconvenience to members of the public.
Many of the victims were also subjected to aggressive pressure tactics and repeated calls.
Directors who ignore privacy regulations and allow their companies to harass the public through relentless cold-calling will face the consequences. In this case, both Liaqat and Ghulam have been banned from running companies for four years, protecting consumers from further misconduct.
Posh Windows UK Ltd was based on Cheapside in Stoke-on-Trent, with Liaqat and Ghulam appointed as directors in 2018.
The company first came to the attention of the ICO in January 2021 when one of its employees received an unsolicited direct marketing call in the evening.
During the call, the caller referred to government grants for home improvements and wanted to book an appointment for the following day.
They only hung up when the recipient told them that the telephone number was registered with the TPS.
Further complaints to the TPS and ICO indicated that pressure tactics were being used and constant calls were made, often outside standard business hours. Some callers were called more than 10 times, even after they had told them to stop.
In total, Posh Windows UK Ltd made 630,971 calls between 1 August 2020 and 30 April 2021. Of those, 461,062 were made to subscribers whose telephone numbers had been registered with the TPS for more than 28 days
All but 84 of the 461,062 calls were made from a withheld number, breaching privacy regulations.
ICO investigations began in March 2021 but Liaqat still allowed the company to trade for more than a year without the ability to adequately screen numbers against the TPS register.
Andy Curry, Head of Investigations at the ICO, said:
We welcome the decision to disqualify Mohammed Liaqat and Rubani Ghulam as directors of Posh Windows UK Ltd.
Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or distressed after simply answering the phone, and our investigation found that this company showed complete disregard for both the law and the thousands of people they were aggressively pestering.
Our Financial Investigation Unit works closely with the Insolvency Service to bring companies and directors to account. By disrupting the non-compliant activities of directors such as Mohammed Liaqat and Rubani Ghulam, we can help ensure they can’t easily resurface under a different name and continue to cause further harm to people.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from Liaqat and Ghulam, and their bans started on Thursday 31 July.
The undertakings prevent them from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.
Further information
Mohammed Liaqat is of Clarke Street, Stoke-on-Trent. His date of birth is 2 May 1988
Rubani Ghulam is of Thorndyke Street, Stoke-on-Trent. His date of birth is 31 August 1969
The Insolvency Service is a government agency that helps to deliver economic confidence by supporting those in financial distress, tackling financial wrongdoing and maximising returns to creditors.
Journalists with enquiries can call the Insolvency Service Press Office on 0303 003 1743 or email press.office@insolvency.gov.uk (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Out of hours
For any out of hours media enquiries, please contact the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) newsdesk on 020 7215 2000.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
AI to stop prison violence before it happens
Prison officers will use artificial intelligence (AI) to stop violence before it breaks out under new plans set out by the Lord Chancellor today (31 July).
Clampdown on violence in prisons as AI helps to identify dangerous prisoners and bring them under tight supervision
AI will also be used to uncover secret messages sent by prisoners and stop weapons or contraband getting into prisons
Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan sets out how tech will cut reoffending and make streets safe as part of Plan for Change
Under the Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan artificial intelligence predicts the risk an offender could pose and informs decisions to put dangerous prisoners under tighter supervision to cut crime and deliver swifter justice for victims. This will help to cut reoffending and make our streets safe, part of the Plan for Change.
AI will be used across prisons, probation and courts to better track offenders and assess the risk they pose with tools that can predict violence behind bars, uncover secret messages sent by prisoners and connect offender records across different systems.
The AI violence predictor analyses different factors such as a prisoner’s age and previous involvement in violent incidents while in custody. This will help prison officers assess threat levels on wings and intervene or move prisoners before violence escalates.
Another AI tool will be able to digitally scan the contents of mobile phones seized from prisoners to rapidly flag messages that could provide intelligence on potential crimes being committed behind bars, such as secret code words.
This will allow staff to discover potential threats of violence to other inmates or prison officers as well as plans to escape and smuggle in weapons or contraband.
These phones – often used for gang activity, drug trafficking and intimidation – are a major source of violence in prisons.
This technology, which uses AI-driven language analysis, has already been trialled across the prison estate and has analysed over 8.6 million messages from 33,000 seized phones.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, said:
Artificial intelligence will transform the justice system. We are embracing its full potential as part of our Plan for Change.
These tools are already fighting violence in prisons, tracking offenders, and releasing our staff to focus on what they do best: cutting crime and making our streets safer.
The AI Action Plan also outlines how the department will create a single digital ID for all offenders with AI helping to link separate records across courts, prisons and probation for the first time.
This will match records that may never be linked through old search systems due to slight typos or missing words, meaning greater monitoring and more effective sentencing.
In the Probation Service, AI pilots have already shown a 50% reduction in note-taking time, allowing officers to focus on risk management, monitoring and face-to-face meetings with offenders.
Building on this success, the tool will be rolled out to all probation officers, and potentially in prisons and courts too.
The AI Action Plan also sets out how technology can ease pressure on courts and improve services for the public. This includes a digital assistant is being developed to help families resolve child arrangement disputes outside of court.
Alexander Iosad, Director of Government Innovation Policy at the Tony Blair Institute, said:
This Action Plan shows exactly the kind of ambition we need across government to embrace AI for a genuine renewal of our public services. If implemented well and at pace, these technologies won’t just ease the pressure on our prisons but also help offenders receive the personalised support they need for effective rehabilitation, making streets safer, and ensuring that victims facing incredibly difficult moments get the justice they deserve. This is what modern, data-driven public service reform to deliver real change for citizens should look like.
Earlier this year, the Lord Chancellor set out her vision for the Probation Service, which included a £8 million pledge to introduce new technology to help risk assess offenders and cut back on admin, increasing focus on those offenders who pose the greatest risk to the public.
In the Spending Review, the Government announced that the Probation Service will receive up to £700 million, an almost 45% increase in funding. This new funding will mean tens of thousands more offenders can be tagged and monitored in the community.
The Government will soon begin work on a new action plan to counter and combat men’s violence against women. The action plan will contain concrete measures to ensure that effective steps to combat men’s violence against women are taken.
SHENZHEN, China, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aurora Mobile Limited (NASDAQ: JG) (“Aurora Mobile” or the “Company”), a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China, today announced that it plans to incorporate products from Figma, a world – renowned design platform, into its service offerings. Figma’s tools will empower Aurora Mobile to revolutionize the way it approaches design within its business model, ecosystems, and various services.
How Aurora Mobile’s Business Model Will Benefit from Figma
Aurora Mobile’s business model is centered on providing comprehensive services to mobile app developers, leveraging vast amounts of real – time and anonymous device – level mobile behavioral data. By integrating Figma’s design services, Aurora Mobile can enhance the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of its own platforms and the solutions it offers its clients. Figma’s intuitive design tools will enable Aurora Mobile’s design teams to create more engaging and user – friendly interfaces for its data analytics dashboards, marketing campaign management platforms, and customer engagement tools.
Strengthening Aurora Mobile’s Ecosystem with Figma
Aurora Mobile has built a robust ecosystem with partnerships across multiple industries, including mobile app developers, telecommunications carriers, data analytics providers, and AI technology firms. Figma’s stools will play a crucial role in enhancing the design – related aspects of this ecosystem.
For mobile app developers within Aurora Mobile’s network, Figma’s design capabilities can be integrated into the app development process. Designers and developers can collaborate more efficiently using Figma’s real – time collaboration features, ensuring that the final versions of apps have a seamless and attractive design. This will not only improve the quality of apps but also reduce the time – to – market.
In the context of vertical application service offerings, Figma can be leveraged to design more effective data visualization tools. By presenting data in a more visually appealing and understandable way, Aurora Mobile can help its partners to extract deeper insights from the data, leading to better – informed business decisions.
With the services of Figma, Aurora Mobile can enhance the design of its AI – powered solutions, such as GPTBots.ai. A well – designed interface for AI agents can improve user interaction, making it easier for enterprises to use these services and unlocking greater value from the AI technology.
Mr. Weidong Luo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Mobile, commented, “We are thrilled about the potential of integrating Figma’s services into our operations. Design is playing an increasingly vital role in the success of our services and the overall user experience. By leveraging Figma’s world – class design platform, we will drive innovation across our business model, ecosystems, and services, ultimately delivering greater value to our customers and partners.”
About Aurora Mobile Limited
Founded in 2011, Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) is a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China. Since its inception, Aurora Mobile has focused on providing stable and efficient messaging services to enterprises and has grown to be a leading mobile messaging service provider with its first-mover advantage. With the increasing demand for customer reach and marketing growth, Aurora Mobile has developed forward-looking solutions such as Cloud Messaging and Cloud Marketing to help enterprises achieve omnichannel customer reach and interaction, as well as artificial intelligence and big data-driven marketing technology solutions to help enterprises’ digital transformation.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the Business Outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Aurora Mobile’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Aurora Mobile may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Aurora Mobile’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Aurora Mobile’s strategies; Aurora Mobile’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Aurora Mobile’s ability to attract and retain customers; its ability to develop and effectively market data solutions, and penetrate the existing market for developer services; its ability to transition to the new advertising-driven SAAS business model; its ability to maintain or enhance its brand; the competition with current or future competitors; its ability to continue to gain access to mobile data in the future; the laws and regulations relating to data privacy and protection; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Aurora Mobile undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
For more information, please contact:
Aurora Mobile Limited E-mail: ir@jiguang.cn
Christensen
In China Ms. Xiaoyan Su Phone: +86-10-5900-1548 E-mail: Xiaoyan.Su@christensencomms.com
In US Ms. Linda Bergkamp Phone: +1-480-614-3004 Email: linda.bergkamp@christensencomms.com
At least 16 flights to and from London’s Heathrow Airport were cancelled on Thursday, a day after technical problems with Britain’s air traffic control system caused widespread disruption across the country’s airports.
National Air Traffic Services (NATS), which provides air traffic control services for planes flying in UK airspace and the eastern part of the North Atlantic, said on Wednesday its systems were fully operational with capacity returning to normal after it switched to a back-up system.
The second outage in as many years at NATS also affected Gatwick Airport near London, Edinburgh Airport in Scotland and other locations, resulting in 122 cancellations as of 1830 GMT on Wednesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Heathrow’s website showed that at least 16 flights, including departures to Brussels and Toronto and arrivals from New York and Berlin, had been cancelled on Thursday.
Heathrow, Britain’s largest and Europe’s busiest airport, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the latest cancellations.
Ryanair Chief Operating Officer Neal McMahon called on NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe to resign, saying no lessons had been learnt since the August 2023 disruption caused by a malfunctioning in the automatic processing of flight plans.
NATS, which on Wednesday apologised to those affected by the failure, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a response to McMahon’s comments.
Heathrow was also hit by a fire at a power sub-station in March which stranded thousands of passengers.
Customer expectations are evolving, and businesses must keep pace to stay competitive. The Customer Experience Africa Summit (CEM), hosted by Vuka Group (www.WeAreVUKA.com) on 12 – 14 August 2025 at Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, is set to be a defining moment for the industry. CEM Africa is where customer experience leaders meet to explore industry shifts, solve pressing CX challenges, and innovate solutions that create measurable business impact. Featuring impactful presentations and workshops led by CX leaders like Zendesk, Cisco and CX Experts, this event will unpack the transformative role of AI and other innovations in reshaping customer engagement.
Here’s why the summit is a must-attend for anyone looking to lead in the CX space.
AI: The Engine of CX Transformation
Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword, it’s a cornerstone of modern customer experience. Delegates will be treated to an exciting keynote, delivered by Ahmad Zureiki, Director of Cisco Collaboration Business for MEA. Titled “Driving Business Success: AI’s Role in Redefining Customer Experience,” Zureiki’s session will explore what it truly takes to unlock AI’s potential for reimagining customer interactions and driving enterprise success. Moving beyond hype to practical applications, Cisco’s insights will set the stage for a summit focused on actionable strategies.
This theme of AI-driven transformation runs through the summit’s workshops. For example, Zendesk’s James Stubbs and Matt Harman will lead “Beyond Bots: AI at Every Stage of the Customer Journey,” a 60-minute interactive session. This workshop will showcase how Zendesk AI enhances self-service resolutions, empowers agents with real-time insights, and streamlines contact centre workflows. Through practical examples, attendees will learn how to embed AI to tackle complex issues, boost productivity, and deliver seamless customer experiences.
Practical Strategies for Exceptional CX
Delivering outstanding customer experiences requires more than technology, it demands strategy and execution. The summit’s workshops address this head-on. One session, “Practical Insights on Delivering a Great Customer Experience,” will explore how organizations can blend proactive engagement, digital channels, and AI-driven solutions to achieve meaningful outcomes. Attendees will tackle key challenges, such as where to begin and how to prioritise, to create CX strategies that drive results.
Another workshop, “Delivering Great CX from Within: Enhancing Employee Experiences with AI,” highlights the critical link between employee empowerment and customer satisfaction. This session will demonstrate how AI can streamline workflows for customer-facing teams, enabling agents and supervisors to deliver better experiences with greater efficiency. By focusing on employee experience, organisations can create a ripple effect that transforms customer interactions.
Learning from AI’s Real-World Impact
As AI reshapes CX, real-world lessons are invaluable. The workshop “Realisation of AI in the Customer Experience Domain – Lessons Learnt So Far” will delve into the evolving landscape of AI adoption. This session will cover trends, challenges, and insights from early adopters, offering practical guidance for organizations at any stage of their AI journey. Whether you’re just starting or refining existing strategies, this workshop will help you avoid common pitfalls and embrace sustainable AI adoption.
Why CEM Africa Summit Matters
The stakes for CX are higher than ever. A recent study by PwC found that 73% of consumers prioritise experience over price, making CX a key driver of loyalty and revenue. The CEM Africa Summit addresses this reality by bringing together industry leaders like Cisco and Zendesk to share actionable insights. As Terry Southam, Group Director: Retail at Vuka Group, notes: “CEM Africa is a catalyst for redefining how businesses connect with customers. By bringing together visionaries like Cisco’s Ahmad Zureiki and Zendesk’s James Stubbs and Matt Harman, we are equipping attendees with the tools to lead in CX innovation.”
Looking Ahead
CEM Africa Summit, taking place at Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, is more than an event, it is a glimpse into the future of customer experience. By spotlighting AI’s transformative power, practical CX strategies, and real-world lessons, the summit will inspire and empower professionals to drive meaningful change.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Shanxi Song and Dance Theatre performs “The Yellow River” at the Urumqi Peking Opera House, July 29, 2025. [Photo by Ma Siyuan/China.org.cn]
Dance epic “The Yellow River,” directed by renowned Chinese artist Zhang Jigang and created by Shanxi Song and Dance Theatre, was staged at the 7th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival on July 29-30. Marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the work utilizes the Yellow River as its central image, interpreting the unyielding Chinese national spirit through a unique artistic language.
“The Yellow River” unfolds the spiritual scroll of the Chinese nation in three acts: The first act reproduces the dawn of civilization with primitive and unrestrained dance moves; the second act focuses on the suffering and struggles during the war against Japanese aggression; and the third act outlines the spirit of forging-ahead in the new era with red silk ribbon dancing.
Director Zhang Jigang and performers of “The Yellow River” on stage at Urumqi Peking Opera House, July 29, 2025. [Photo by Ma Siyuan/China.org.cn]
Director Zhang Jigang emphasized that through chapters such as “The Indignation of the Yellow River” and “Defend the Yellow River,” the work condenses memories of the war into a spiritual declaration that “the Chinese nation cannot be humiliated.”
As a dance epic, “The Yellow River” breaks the boundaries of traditional dance with its subversive stage language. The performers crawl in mud, fight in water currents and perform difficult lifts on a suspended cloth — these unique movements becoming carriers for interpreting the spirit of the Yellow River.
Zhang also explained that dancing on the cloth is a metaphor for the resilience of the Chinese nation, and was designed to let the audience feel the weight of history while evoking a sense of awe.
The fusion of music and dance further highlighted the epic temperament. The passion of the piano concerto interwove with the profoundness of the symphony, forming a perfect dialogue between the “musical” and the “dancing” Yellow River.
Yang Qian, the lead actress who plays the personification of the Yellow River, mentioned that the biggest difference between a dance epic and a traditional dance drama lies in “striking the heart with a five- or six-minute chapter.”
Talking about her role, Yang said, “The Yellow River is not a specific river, but a microcosm of thousands of Chinese mothers — having the tenderness of water and the tenacity of the loess land.” In the chapter “The Lullaby of the Yellow River,” she interpreted the river’s nurturing power as the cradle of Chinese civilization with the body language of “taking the sky as a quilt and the earth as a bed.”
As a hub on the ancient Silk Road, Xinjiang has always been a fertile ground for the integration of diverse cultures. As Zhang explained, “The simple beauty of Xinjiang forms a wonderful echo with the profound civilization carried by the Yellow River.” At the 7th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival, “The Yellow River” and the dance arts of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang shone together, jointly interpreting the diversity and unity of Chinese culture.
Zhang has a deep affection for Xinjiang, recalling how he felt “a peaceful soul as pure as water” when visiting the region’s Sayram Lake. In the dance epic, the concept of simplifying plots, intensifying emotions, downplaying regional traits and enhancing international appeal has elevated the Yellow River from a mere river to a symbol of the world’s great river civilizations.
By staging the work in Urumqi, the performance served as both a review of the national spirit of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression 80 years ago and a tribute to the present-day cultural integration.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The summer session of the 14th Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents, a crucial channel for overseas talent to connect with Beijing and develop in the city, commenced on Tuesday at HICOOL industrial park in Beijing’s Shunyi district.
As a platform of international talent exchange and cooperation, the tour brought nearly 30 representatives of student associations and international students from 16 prestigious universities — including Yale University, Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Milan — to engage in networking and matchmaking sessions with leading enterprises and innovation parks in the Chinese capital.
At the opening ceremony, the Investment Promotion Service Center of Shunyi District presented the region’s development environment, highlighting its unique advantages in industrial clusters and business-friendly policies. A service station for overseas student associations was also established to provide comprehensive support for international students who intend to start their careers in Beijing.
During the tour, overseas talent will also visit selected districts in Beijing and the Xiong’an New Area to gain firsthand insight into the city’s innovation and entrepreneurship environment, as well as the latest development in Xiong’an.
The “Hong Kong Talents Beijing Tour” was held concurrently, with 32 outstanding individuals from seven renowned universities — including the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong — invited to visit and engage in exchange activities in Beijing.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Myanmar’s National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) on Thursday formed a new union government and State Security and Peace Commission, the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) reported.
The union government is led by U Nyo Saw as prime minister, and the State Security and Peace Commission is chaired by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the report said.
The NDSC also decided to annul the order transferring the sovereign power to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, according to the report.
Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson of Myanmar’s State Administration Council, said on Thursday the NDSC had decided to end the state of emergency to hold general elections.
In February 2021, Myanmar’s then-Acting President U Myint Swe declared a one-year state of emergency and transferred sovereign power to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services. The office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services subsequently formed the State Administration Council, with Min Aung Hlaing as its chairman. The NDSC has made multiple six-month extensions until July 31 this year.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cambodia on Thursday called on Thailand to release 20 Cambodian soldiers that it captured after a ceasefire took effect, said a Cambodian defense spokesperson.
Speaking in a press briefing, Cambodian Defense Ministry’s Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said the Thai soldiers took 21 Cambodian soldiers under control on July 29 at 7:30 a.m. local time.
“So far, we have received one dead soldier,” she said. “We call on Thai side to send all 20 military personnel back to Cambodia as soon as possible.”
Socheata said Cambodia, with the mediation from Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN, is negotiating with Thailand on this issue.
The Thai army said on Thursday that the detained Cambodian soldiers would be repatriated after legal procedure.
The Thai army said the Cambodian soldiers are being handled in accordance with international law and that they will be sent back once legal procedures are completed.
On July 24, armed clashes erupted between Cambodian and Thai soldiers in border areas. The two countries agreed on an immediate and unconditional ceasefire on Monday afternoon, taking effect at midnight on Monday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russian troops have taken control of the militarily strategic town of Chasov Yar in the eastern Donetsk region, the Russian defense ministry announced Thursday.
“As a result of an offensive by Battlegroup South in the Kramatorsk-Druzhkovka area, the town of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic was liberated,” the ministry said in a statement.
Chasov Yar had served as a strategic stronghold and key logistical hub for Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 2025 ZGC Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Future City was held on Tuesday in Beijing, highlighting the deepening integration of AI technologies into urban development.
With the theme “AI + City: A New Digital Era,” the forum showcased a wide range of new applications and innovations driving smart city construction and digital transformation.
Dozens of achievements were released at the event, including upgraded intelligent agent technologies and trusted data infrastructure models, all aimed at enhancing city governance, public services, and digital ecosystems.
The forum also marked the first anniversary of Zhongguancun Science City’s AI empowerment initiative. A total of 44 outstanding use cases were announced this year, covering areas such as healthcare, embodied intelligence, education, and city services. These cases demonstrate how scenario-driven AI solutions are expanding possibilities across sectors.
Collaborations were also a key focus. New partnerships between research institutions, government departments, and urban management bodies were formed to build joint laboratories, explore smart city metrics, and support cross-sector data sharing. Efforts to strengthen data infrastructure for sectors like energy were highlighted as essential to unlocking the value of data as a production factor.
Several participants also jointly launched an AI agent ecosystem cooperation plan, aiming to create more integrated application scenarios, strengthen innovation, and accelerate the transformation of scientific research into practical outcomes.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi’s speech at ecological, environmental protection conference to be published
Xinhua | July 31, 2025
A speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection on July 17, 2023, will be published on Friday.
The speech by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year’s 15th issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
SSRO highlights ongoing challenges in reporting against non-competitive defence contracts
The Compliance Bulletin examines how well defence contractors followed the reporting regulations for non-competitive (also known as single source) defence contracts.
Defence contractors must report information about their single-source defence contracts to the MOD and the Single Source Regulations Office (the SSRO). This is performed using the SSRO’s Defence Contract Analysis and Reporting System (DefCARS).
This information is a key element of the regulatory framework, providing the MOD with ongoing information throughout the contract period to support informed purchasing decisions and effective contract management for vital defence equipment and services.
The Compliance Bulletin presents compliance data relating to reports expected to be submitted between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2025. Data is also presented against historical compliance records going back to May 2018.
The bulletin indicates that while most expected reports are being made by contractors, there remains scope to improve the quality of initial data. Additionally, the MOD must ensure that the information received is effectively considered and used, by increasing the amount of reported information accessed and reviewed in DefCARS.
The bulletin finds that the majority of expected reports are eventually received, with timeliness (being delivered in line with the timescales set out in the legislation) improving for contract reports and remaining constant for supplier reports when compared to last year. The quality of reports (complying with the legislative requirements) remains similar to last year with 48% of contract and supplier reports meeting the quality threshold on the first attempt. Both timeliness and quality remain below the SSRO’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 75 per cent, but when allowing for additional time, beyond the expected submission date, most of the reports are eventually received and the proportion of all report types correct upon subsequent submission is 75% or greater showing that actions are taken by contractors when issues are raised.
Since 1 April 2024, the legislation has provided a definition of a component of the contract price, and components have their own reporting requirements. Examples of a component are where a contract uses a different contract pricing method to the contract pricing method used in any other part of the contract; has a different contract profit rate to the contract profit rate used in any other part of the contract; or has a price which has been re-determined.
Our review of data also showed that new reporting requirements related to components of contracts were not being followed, with three quarters not submitting the information in time.
The MOD was also only verifying around a quarter of the data submitted in contract reports. This is the lowest rate of MOD reviews since compliance data started to be collected in DefCARS and presents a challenge to data quality.
The SSRO will seek to improve compliance with the Single Source Contract Regulations 2014 (the “Regulations”) by providing:
guidance on Regulations that may benefit from further interpretation;
regular engagement with industry through reporting workshops;
contractors who have many QDCs with monthly management information to assist in tracking required reports;
management information and analysis to the MOD to help prioritise compliance activities; and
an arbitration route for contractors and the MOD to settle compliance disagreements.
The SSRO’s Head of Compliance, Reporting and IT, Akhlaq Shah, said:
“Beyond monitoring and reporting on compliance, the SSRO will continue to support contractors and the MOD in meeting their responsibilities. We will keep investing in efforts to clarify requirements, guide industry in meeting them, and help the MOD use the data effectively and consistently”.
We continue to work with the MOD and industry so that the SSRO is best able to support compliance outcomes to help deliver value for money defence procurement while ensuring fair and reasonable prices are paid to industry.
Take a look at the Compliance Bulletin for more information on contractors are doing in timeliness and quality of their reporting.
Manchester City Council is set to earmark almost £250,000 to support grassroots music venues in the city and help them share the success of the city’s summer of music.
In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of music fans have converged on the city to celebrate its music scene – 340,000 at the five Oasis Heaton Park homecoming gigs alone. Other star names appearing in Manchester this summer include Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Charlie XCX, Elbow, Fontaines DC and Robbie Williams.
Over the course of the summer it has been estimated that Manchester will have attracted 1.3 million music tourists – a tremendous boost for the city’s economy as a whole, especially the hospitality industry.
These huge events are also generating income for the Council, either by being hosted in the city’s largest parks – with commercial arrangements for their use – or through the business rates paid by major venues.
As well as reinvesting part of this revenue in parks, the Council is planning to set aside £245,000 to be made available in financial support for Manchester’s grassroots venues.
While exact details are being finalised, the intention is that the scheme will be administered by Music Venue Trust to ensure that the money gets to where it is needed as quickly and effectively as possible.
It comes as small venues across the country face a difficult economic climate, with a combination of increasing costs and reducing incomes leaving some in a precarious position. One particular challenge is an increase in nationally-set business rates. These had been significantly reduced for the sector in response to the impacts of the pandemic, but this financial year (2025/26) – while still being lower than pre-pandemic levels – they have gone back up significantly.
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is a big noise in the music world. This summer all eyes have been on the city as we’ve hosted some huge concerts and seen unprecedented success in our large venues as the EMA MTV Music Awards showed.
“But while the biggest gigs – in the city’s arenas and parks – might dominate the headlines, we know they are only possible because they are part of a wider ecosystem with smaller, grassroots venues providing the launchpads for acts to develop and grow.
“We know that across the country grassroots venues are struggling. That’s why we want to ensure that our grassroots venues can share some of the benefit from the success of those big events.
“We’re blessed in Manchester with an array of great smaller venues. They are there to be enjoyed and I’d encouraged anyone who values them to get out and support them.”
Jay Taylor, Music Venue Trust National Co-ordinator, said: “Music Venue Trust wants to thank and congratulate Manchester City Council for leading on this crucial support for grassroots music venues. It’s inspiring to see Manchester recognise its place as one of the world’s leading music cities, and acknowledge that the fantastic grassroots music venue network in the city is an essential cornerstone of the amazing music being produced by Manchester artists.
“In April, the government reduced business rates relief in England for many grassroots music venues, significantly impacting their long-term sustainability. Manchester City Council has taken the lead with this bold and innovative action and we hope many more cities and towns across the country can join their efforts to secure the future of the UK’s grassroots music venue network.”
Kate Lowes, Director, Brighter Sound (sector lead Manchester Music City) said: “Grassroots venues sit at the heart of our city’s music scene – supporting emerging artists, bringing people together, and enriching local communities.
“Recent research, commissioned by Manchester Music City and delivered by the hub, has shown that business rates relief is one of the sector’s most pressing concerns. We therefore welcome this announcement and are encouraged to see Manchester City Council and Music Venue Trust working in partnership to deliver meaningful and targeted support.
“Manchester Music City is now working with the council to shape a full sector response and action plan, with a further set of actions to be announced this autumn. This type of collaborative approach and investment is essential to ensuring that Manchester remains a city where music and creativity can thrive at every level.”
Derby City Council plans to create a new local supported living provision for young adults aged 18-25 living with learning disabilities, neurodiversity, or autism. The project, in partnership with an external service provider, aims to bridge a gap in local specialist provisions, enabling young people to transition successfully into adulthood.
The service will repurpose two former children’s homes to provide support for up to 12 individuals. The focus is on empowering residents to develop essential skills, maximise their potential, and ultimately move towards independent living.
The proposal to commission an external service provider to deliver, manage and operate the provision in close partnership with the Council will be discussed by Cabinet members at a meeting on Wednesday 6 August.
The Council is committed to enhancing adult social care in Derby by developing innovative care models. This includes integrating Technology-Enabled Care (TEC) to promote independence, improve safety, and provide reassurance to both individuals and their families. This can include a range of devices and apps, from basic community alarms and wearables to more advanced systems like fall detectors and remote monitoring.
Councillor Alison Martin, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care, said:
This exciting initiative aims to enhance the lives of young adults with additional needs by fostering greater independence and facilitating a smooth transition into adulthood.
Collaborating with an external provider will enable us to strengthen supported living services in Derby, ensuring we deliver high-quality and sustainable solutions that genuinely promote independence.
Currently, Derby City Council supports 366 adults in various Supported Living settings, at an annual cost of approximately £21 million.
Looking ahead, the need for supported accommodation is expected to rise, with the 18-25 age group projected to increase from 13% to 18% of the younger adult population by 2030. Annually, the Council’s Preparing for Adulthood team consistently supports around 40 new entrants to adult social care.
While some young adults currently need out-of-area placements, this project presents an opportunity to expand suitable options within Derby. Many individuals have said they’d prefer to live in the local area, so developing provision in the city will create a positive impact.
RSV vaccine highly effective in preventing hospitalisation
RSV vaccines are 82% effective for older people and 72% for newborns when mothers are vaccinated at least 14 days before birth.
A new UK Health Security Agency study – Effectiveness of RSV Vaccine Against RSV Associated Hospitalisation Among Adults Aged 75 to 79 years in England – in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals and other NHS trusts, shows the RSV vaccine provided strong protection for older people, around 82% effective in preventing hospital admissions with RSV infection.
The study also found that the vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalisation for older people with a chronic respiratory condition and those living with immunosuppression.
Two new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced to the NHS Vaccination Schedule in September last year; an older adults programme and a maternal programme.
The programme for older adults offers the vaccine to those turning 75, as well as a one-off catch up campaign for all adults aged 75 to79 years.
The maternal vaccination programme is offered to women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect newborns, who are at higher risk of severe illness from RSV.
A separate new study – Vaccination in Pregnancy and RSV Hospitalisation in Infants in the UK, led by NHS paediatricians, published in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health – found that the maternal RSV vaccine was 72% effective in preventing hospitalisation for infants whose mothers were vaccinated more than 14 days before delivery.
UKHSA has also today published the latest vaccine uptake figures for both RSV programmes, including the:
older adults programme: overall coverage as of 30 June 2025 in the catch-up cohort (adults aged 75 to 79) reached 62.9%, up from the 60.3% reported in March
maternal programme: of the 36,657 women reported as having given birth in March 2025, 20,051 (54.7%) had received an RSV vaccine
maternal coverage varied by ethnic group with the highest coverage reported among the Chinese ethnic group (73.3%) and lowest among Black and Black British Caribbean (26.4%)
Greta Hayward, Consultant Midwife at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
Having the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy is the best way for women to protect their newborn against RSV, as the vaccine boosts their immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus, and these then pass through the placenta to help protect their baby from the day they are born. RSV infects around 90% of children in their first 2 years of life.
The RSV season usually starts in October and while there is no risk-free birth month, babies born in late summer or the autumn are most likely to be admitted to hospital. Hundreds of babies attend Emergency Departments each day for bronchiolitis through most of November and December. That is why it is so important that over the summer pregnant women reaching 28 weeks of pregnancy, ensure they are vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr Conall Watson, Immunisation Consultant at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
The evidence clearly shows the RSV vaccine for pregnant women is highly effective and will give much reassurance to parents, knowing their newborn is protected from birth, when they are at much greater risk from RSV.
As a parent and health professional I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy. We recommend vaccination in week 28 or soon after but if you are later on in your pregnancy and still haven’t had your vaccine please contact your maternity service or GP practice to arrange one.
RSV can be a particularly serious infection for older people, so this new evidence will also give much reassurance that having the RSV jab will greatly reduce their chances of ending up in hospital.
While the uptake of the RSV vaccine continues to rise, we want to see every single pregnant woman and eligible older person getting protected. The virus picks up in the autumn, so don’t put if off over the summer – as soon as you reach your 75th birthday or week 28 of pregnancy get the vaccine for healthy peace of mind.
UKHSA has published its first RSV Annual Report, which looks back at the 2024 to 2025 RSV season, providing analysis on disease pattern, vaccine uptake and vaccine impact.
The surveillance shows RSV activity started across all UK nations around week 42 of 2024 (week starting 14 October) and peaked around weeks 47 to 49 2024 (18 November to 8 December), before steadily declining and reaching baseline activity around weeks 7 to 8 2025 (10 to 23 February).
The Report also details UKHSA’s analysis from the primary care surveillance, which involves swabbing in around 300 GP Practices in England when a patient presents with an acute respiratory infection (ARI). This found that by age group, the highest RSV positivity (% of laboratory confirmed RSV cases out of total ARI swabs) was observed in children under 5 years; with positivity peaking at 53.1% in week 46 (11-17 November).
Among those aged 75 years and above, the highest RSV positivity rate was 18.5% reported in week 49 (2 to 8 December).
Surveillance of patients attending hospital emergency departments (ED) in England found that among infants (babies under 1), bronchiolitis peaked in late November. This is the main clinical presentation of infant RSV and RSV is the primary pathogen causing bronchiolitis.
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The State University of Management invites you to take part in the XI All-Russian Prize “For Loyalty to Science”. Applications are accepted until August 17.
Participants may include scientists, journalists, press service workers popularizing Russian science, as well as business representatives who have made a significant contribution to supporting the prestige of professional scientific activity and popularizing domestic scientific achievements.
This year the Award includes 11 nominations:
Scientific press service of the year. Scientific journalist of the year. Author of digital content. Recognition. Russian science to the world (nomination named after Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky). On the use of artificial intelligence technology in scientific research. Working with experience: scientists’ contribution to the Victory. Science for children. Special prize named after Khristophor Ledentsov. Special prize named after Daniil Granin. Special prize for the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry.
All winners will receive a cash prize from the Art, Science and Sport charity foundation, and the winners of the Special Prize for the 80th Anniversary of the Nuclear Industry nomination will also go on a trip on a nuclear icebreaker organized by the Rosatom State Corporation.
The award ceremony will take place at the end of October in Moscow.
Let us recall that the All-Russian Prize “For Loyalty to Science” is awarded annually for outstanding achievements in the field of scientific communication, popularization of scientific achievements and support of the prestige of scientific activity in the Russian Federation. In 2022, the Prize became one of the flagship projects of the Decade of Science and Technology announced by the President of Russia.
You can find out more about the Award and submit an application on the official website, and ask any questions by email at zavernostnauke@minobrnauki.gov.ru.
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