The Get Britain Working Trailblazer programme is aimed at reducing economic inactivity and supporting residents into good jobs, volunteering, and training opportunities.
The funding, totalling £1,038,250, comes from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) and will support a wide range of local projects targeting groups most affected by long-term unemployment, including young people, disabled residents, unpaid carers, and veterans.
Peter Roderick, Director of Public Health at City of York Council, said:
“This funding is a real opportunity to make a difference in the lives of York residents who face barriers to employment due to health or personal circumstances. We’re proud to be delivering a programme that puts people first—offering tailored support, improving wellbeing, and helping individuals find meaningful work. It’s about building a healthier, more inclusive city.”
Cllr Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy & Culture, added:
“This investment aligns perfectly with our Economic Strategy and our ambition to create good jobs and a thriving local economy. By working with partners across the city, we’re scaling up what works and piloting new, innovative approaches. It’s a bold step forward in unlocking York’s hidden talent and ensuring no one is left behind.”
The funding will support 15 York-specific schemes, including mental health hubs, youth mentoring, workplace health checks, and employer engagement initiatives. It also complements wider regional programmes such as wage subsidies and primary care interventions.
The Council has committed to delivering all projects within the 2025/26 financial year, with a focus on collaboration, innovation, and measurable impact. A report detailing the funding will go to a joint councillor decision session on 5 August.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BISHKEK, July 30 (Xinhua) — Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev on Wednesday met with his Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov, who arrived in Kyrgyzstan on an official visit, the press service of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry reported.
As reported, the parties discussed a wide range of issues of Kyrgyz-Uzbek bilateral cooperation, exchanged views on current regional and international issues, and identified specific steps to implement the agreements reached at the level of heads of state and heads of government of the two countries.
The ministers noted with satisfaction the high level of political dialogue and the dynamics of bilateral contacts at the highest and high levels. They reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and expressed their readiness to continue joint efforts to bring Kyrgyz-Uzbek relations to a qualitatively new level.
The parties also discussed cooperation in international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. As noted, cooperation in these structures remains a key element of the partnership between the two countries.
The heads of the foreign ministries of the two states confirmed their readiness to continue coordinating approaches to key regional and global issues, and also outlined specific joint measures to implement the Cooperation Program between the Foreign Ministries of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan for 2025-2026.
“During the meeting, promising areas for further cooperation were identified and a schedule of upcoming events at the highest level was agreed upon,” the press service said in a statement. –0–
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 30 (Xinhua) — China on Wednesday called on Japan to speed up the entire process of disposing of Japanese chemical weapons abandoned in China and restore a clean land for the Chinese people and justice for the international community as soon as possible.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the call at a daily ministry briefing in response to a reporter’s question.
“The abandoned Japanese chemical weapons in China represent one of the most serious crimes committed by Japanese militarists during the war of conquest against China,” the diplomat said.
Guo Jiakun stressed that China has always called on Japan to completely and thoroughly destroy them as soon as possible in strict accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and the memorandum of understanding between the governments of the two countries. “To date, the Japanese side has removed about 160,000 units of abandoned chemical weapons from underground and destroyed nearly 130,000. However, the disposal process as a whole is seriously behind schedule,” the official said.
He recalled that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and July 30 marks the 26th anniversary of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of China and Japan on the destruction of chemical weapons left by Japan on Chinese territory.
Guo Jiakun said that even today, abandoned Japanese chemical weapons continue to pose a serious threat to the safety of the lives and property of the Chinese people, as well as to the environment, and the Japanese side bears undeniable historical responsibility for this.
China calls on Japan to seriously respond to the concerns of China and the international community, deeply reflect on its history of aggression, strictly fulfill its obligations and effectively enhance its contribution in all aspects, the spokesperson said.
“Japan must do its utmost to speed up the entire process of disposing of abandoned chemical weapons so that the day will soon come when the Chinese people no longer have to live in a land desecrated by chemical weapons and justice will be restored to the international community,” Guo Jiakun added. -0-
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, July 30 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States and Pakistan have reached an agreement that includes bilateral cooperation in developing Pakistan’s oil reserves.
“We just made a deal with Pakistan where Pakistan and the United States will work together to develop their vast oil reserves,” Trump wrote on social media. “We are in the process of selecting an oil company to lead this partnership.”
So far, the US and Pakistani governments have not released official statements about the deal. –0–
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
OTTAWA, July 30 (Xinhua) — Canada plans to recognize the State of Palestine in September, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday.
According to a statement from his office, Canada intends to recognize a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, since the prospects for realizing the “two-state solution” have been seriously and fundamentally undermined.
“This intention is based on the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) commitment to urgently needed reforms, including PNA President Mahmoud Abbas’s commitment to fundamentally transform the system of governance, hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas will not be able to participate, and demilitarize the Palestinian state,” the statement said.
Canada also reiterated that Hamas should immediately release all hostages and disarm. The movement should have no role in the future governance of Palestine, the prime minister’s office said. -0-
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, July 31 /Xinhua/ — Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Belarus Roman Golovchenko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Belarus Ibrahim Salim Mohamed Al-Musharrah held a meeting in Minsk on Wednesday. The parties discussed promising areas for the development of bilateral relations, including in the banking sector. The relevant information was published by the press service of the National Bank of Belarus on the same day.
During the meeting, R. Golovchenko noted that at the end of June 2025, an agreement was signed in Minsk between the governments of Belarus and the United Arab Emirates on trade in services and investment, and an agreement on economic partnership between the Eurasian Economic Union and its member states on the one hand, and the UAE on the other. After these agreements come into force, the UAE will become the first foreign country with which Belarus simultaneously creates both a free trade zone for goods and a free trade zone for services.
Also, according to R. Golovchenko, the National Bank of Belarus expects to intensify the entire range of bilateral relations with the UAE with the understanding that both countries have no issues that cannot be resolved. –0–
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.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dear applicants of the State University of Management, we publish up-to-date information on the competition lists. They can be viewed in two ways.
The first is on a special page of the SUM website, where you can find yourself using your unique applicant number.
The second is on the State Services portal using the following algorithm: – Find SUM in the university selection service; – Select a direction; – Expand the program; – Open “Lists of applicants” and “Competition lists”; – Find yourself using your unique applicant number.
The lists for the budget and quotas have already been published. Preliminary lists for the contract will appear on August 10. The order for transfer to the budget – August 7.
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
WELLINGTON, July 31 (Xinhua) — More than 36,000 nurses, midwives and health care assistants across New Zealand began a 24-hour strike on Wednesday morning after talks with authorities over wages and recruitment ended in failure.
The wages offered by the New Zealand Ministry of Health are not satisfactory for nurses and staff shortages are becoming a serious problem.
According to national radio station Radio New Zealand, the country’s Ministry of Health offered a 3 per cent pay rise over 27 months, while the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) counter-offered a 5 per cent pay rise over two years.
Meanwhile, data obtained by NZNO from the New Zealand Ministry of Health shows that more than half of day shifts in hospital surgeries were understaffed last year.
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter has accused the government of failing to meet urgent demands for staff to fill positions identified as essential to ensure safe staffing.
“NZNO has expressed concern about the chronic and ongoing staff shortages throughout the collective agreement negotiation process that began in September last year,” Pg Goulter said.
However, life-saving services will continue to be provided. “The public can be assured that we have an agreement with NZNO to support life-saving services throughout the strike and our hospitals and emergency departments will continue to operate,” said New Zealand Health chief executive Dr Dale Bramley. –0–
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CANBERRA, July 31 (Xinhua) — For the Australian federal government, recognizing Palestine is a matter of “when, not if,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC on Thursday.
“There are still a number of obstacles to recognizing a Palestinian state. For example, the treatment of hostages, their release, ensuring that Hamas plays absolutely no role,” Chalmers said.
He made the statement shortly before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his country’s intention to recognize Palestinian statehood at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September.
On Tuesday, foreign ministers from 15 countries, including Australia and Canada, issued a joint statement reaffirming their “unwavering commitment” to a two-state solution for Palestine.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under pressure from his fellow party members to recognize Palestinian statehood, ABC reported Thursday. –0–
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.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Meeting of Alexander Novak with the co-chairman of the Joint Russian-Saudi Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak made a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He met with the co-chairman of the Joint Russian-Saudi Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud.
The participants discussed cooperation within the Joint Russian-Saudi Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and the results of the implementation of the instructions of the co-chairs of the commission following the last meeting. The parties noted with satisfaction the recent opening of direct flights between the two countries, the signing of several memorandums of understanding in various areas, such as industry, education, media, as well as in terms of organizing the Hajj.
During the talks, the parties discussed prospects for increasing trade turnover and expanding cooperation in key economic sectors of mutual interest. The parties also discussed preparations for the ninth meeting of the intergovernmental commission, which will be held in Riyadh on November 6 this year.
Another topic of negotiations was the situation on the oil market and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries within OPEC.
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.
Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On July 28–29, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Svyatoslav Sorokin visited the Kaliningrad Region on a working visit. One of the key topics was the development of infrastructure on the Baltic Sea coast. The Ministry of Economic Development gave a positive opinion on the region’s application to build the Belaya Dune resort — the project can receive preferential financing through the mechanism of treasury infrastructure loans.
The resort “White Dune” near the village of Yantarny has been applied for funding under the national project “Tourism and Hospitality”. The application involves the construction of engineering infrastructure – access roads, electricity and gas supply systems.
“The region is counting on treasury loans at 3% per annum for a period of 15 years. We have given a positive opinion on the application. The final decision will be made by the presidium of the government commission on regional development,” said Svyatoslav Sorokin.
The main topic of the trip was monitoring the implementation of the state program “Socio-economic development of the Kaliningrad region”. Over 10 years, 400 billion rubles were allocated from the federal budget within the framework of the program. These funds made it possible to build more than 200 objects – from roads and hospitals to coastal protection.
The Deputy Minister inspected the facilities in Svetlogorsk: work is underway to build an embankment and anti-landslide structures.
“The program remains a strategic instrument for the development of the region. It is important that the authorities of the Kaliningrad Region respond flexibly to changes related to the challenges of the time, including the consequences of sanctions pressure on business. We also discussed options for solving these problems with colleagues. A comprehensive approach is needed: maximum use of various types of support from the federal budget and prompt development of regional programs where necessary. The Kaliningrad Region is already taking serious steps in this direction,” noted Svyatoslav Sorokin.
Currently, the region has a Special Economic Zone with more than 300 residents. Companies have already invested over 300 billion rubles, creating jobs and tax returns.
“SEZ residents produce about 40% of all goods and services in the region and provide half of the tax revenues. They are key employers and investors,” the deputy minister emphasized.
During the visit, Svyatoslav Sorokin visited two key enterprises in the region. The Sodruzhestvo Group of Companies is a leading producer of plant protein for the feed industry, providing up to 15% of the needs of the entire feed industry in Russia. The company is one of the five largest taxpayers in the region.
The Avtotor Group of Companies is one of the largest employers in the region, and together with related industries, it provides employment for over 30,000 people. The company is currently implementing a project to launch the production of compact electric vehicles on its own technological platform.
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.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest figures on retail sales today (July 31).
The value of total retail sales in June 2025, provisionally estimated at $30.1 billion, increased by 0.7% compared with the same month in 2024. The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in May 2025 increased by 2.4% compared with a year earlier. For the first half of 2025, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total retail sales decreased by 3.3% compared with the same period in 2024.
Of the total retail sales value in June 2025, online sales accounted for 8.5%. The value of online retail sales in that month, provisionally estimated at $2.5 billion, increased by 8.4% compared with the same month in 2024. The revised estimate of online retail sales in May 2025 decreased by 1.2% compared with a year earlier. For the first half of 2025, it was provisionally estimated that the value of online retail sales decreased by 0.4% compared with the same period in 2024.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in June 2025 decreased by 0.3% compared with a year earlier. The revised estimate of the volume of total retail sales in May 2025 increased by 1.9% compared with a year earlier. For the first half of 2025, the provisional estimate of the total retail sales decreased by 4.7% in volume compared with the same period in 2024.
Analysed by broad type of retail outlet in descending order of the provisional estimate of the value of sales and comparing June 2025 with June 2024, the value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased by 6.8%. This was followed by sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified (+7.2% in value); commodities in supermarkets (+0.4%); medicines and cosmetics (+6.0%); commodities in department stores (+5.7%); and optical shops (+1.0%).
On the other hand, the value of sales of wearing apparel decreased by 4.3% in June 2025 over a year earlier. This was followed by sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-1.5% in value); electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (-9.3%); motor vehicles and parts (-6.0%); fuels (-8.7%); furniture and fixtures (-16.3%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-7.2%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-2.0%); and books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (-4.7%).
Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales increased by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the preceding quarter, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales increased by 2.7%.
Commentary
A government spokesman said that retail sales showed signs of stabilisation in recent months. The value of total retail sales increased further by 0.7% in June 2025 over the year.
Looking ahead, the spokesman said continued increase in employment earnings, buoyant local stock market, coupled with the Government’s proactive efforts in promoting tourism and mega events and also enterprises’ strenuous effort in providing more diversified experiences would provide support to the consumption sentiment in the domestic market and businesses of the retail sector.
Further information
Table 1 presents the revised figures on value index and value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for May 2025 as well as the provisional figures for June 2025. The provisional figures on the value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet as well as the corresponding year-on-year changes for the first half of 2025 are also shown.
Table 2 presents the revised figures on value of online retail sales for May 2025 as well as the provisional figures for June 2025. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first half of 2025 are also shown.
Table 3 presents the revised figures on volume index of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for May 2025 as well as the provisional figures for June 2025. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first half of 2025 are also shown.
Table 4 shows the movements of the value and volume of total retail sales in terms of the year-on-year rate of change for a month compared with the same month in the preceding year based on the original series, and in terms of the rate of change for a three-month period compared with the preceding three-month period based on the seasonally adjusted series.
The classification of retail establishments follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
These retail sales statistics measure the sales receipts in respect of goods sold by local retail establishments and are primarily intended for gauging the short-term business performance of the local retail sector. Data on retail sales are collected from local retail establishments through the Monthly Survey of Retail Sales (MRS). Local retail establishments with and without physical shops are covered in MRS and their sales, both through conventional shops and online channels, are included in the retail sales statistics.
The retail sales statistics cover consumer spending on goods but not on services (such as those on housing, catering, medical care and health services, transport and communication, financial services, education and entertainment) which account for over 50% of the overall consumer spending. Moreover, they include spending on goods in Hong Kong by visitors but exclude spending outside Hong Kong by Hong Kong residents. Hence they should not be regarded as indicators for measuring overall consumer spending.
Users interested in the trend of overall consumer spending should refer to the data series of private consumption expenditure (PCE), which is a major component of the Gross Domestic Product published at quarterly intervals. Compiled from a wide range of data sources, PCE covers consumer spending on both goods (including goods purchased from all channels) and services by Hong Kong residents whether locally or abroad. Please refer to the C&SD publication “Gross Domestic Product by Expenditure Component” for more details.
Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7400; email: mrs@censtatd.gov.hk).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (July 31) published the unaudited financial position of the Exchange Fund at end-June 2025.
The Exchange Fund recorded an investment income of HK$194.4 billion in the first half of 2025. The main components were:
gains on bonds of HK$75.3 billion;
gains on Hong Kong equities of HK$22.9 billion;
gains on other equities of HK$27.4 billion;
positive currency translation effect of HK$56.8 billion on non-Hong Kong dollar assets (Note 1); and
gains on other investments of HK$12.0 billion (Note 2).
Fees on placements by the Fiscal Reserves and placements by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government funds and statutory bodies were HK$8.5 billion (Note 3) and HK$8.3 billion respectively in the first half of 2025, with the rate of fee payment at 4.4 per cent for 2025.
Total assets of the Exchange Fund stood at HK$4,297.1 billion at end-June 2025, an increase of HK$216.1 billion from the end of 2024. Accumulated surplus stood at HK$877.9 billion at end-June 2025.
The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The global financial markets experienced significant volatility in the first half of 2025 due to escalating trade barriers and frictions, as well as intensifying geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. In particular, following the announcement of a series of aggressive tariff measures by the US Government in early April, the global financial markets underwent massive sell-offs, with the equity and bond markets experiencing sharp declines. The S&P 500 fell by roughly 12 per cent over a few days since April 3. The 10-year US Treasury yield also surged by 50 basis points to around 4.5 per cent within a week in April, registering the sharpest weekly change since the pandemic outbreak in 2020.
As the US and major economies made progress in tariff negotiations, investor confidence stabilised and global equity markets rebounded. The Hong Kong equities also benefitted from capital inflows and the Hang Seng Index rose by about 20 per cent in the first half. As for the bond market, the US Fed kept its monetary policy target unchanged in the first half of the year. Hence, US bond yields stayed at relatively high levels, generating good interest income for the Exchange Fund’s bond portfolio.
Against this backdrop, the Exchange Fund recorded a decent investment income in the first half of 2025, with positive returns across major asset classes of bonds, equities and alternative investments. The weakening of the US dollar against major currencies in the first half also resulted in significant positive currency translation effect on the Exchange Fund’s assets.”
He added, “While the Exchange Fund achieved good returns in the first half of the year, the investment landscape in the second half remains highly uncertain. The uncertainty of US Government’s economic and trade policies will affect international capital flows, as well as corporates’ earnings and investment decisions. Any increase in trade frictions or deterioration in geopolitical situations may cause a slowdown in global economic growth, and may also trigger a sharp reversal of market optimism, bringing shocks to the financial markets. In addition, the pace of adjustments of the Fed’s monetary policy and concerns over the US Government’s debt servicing ability may also affect the performance of US dollar assets and the US dollar against other currencies. While a sizeable part of the Exchange Fund’s investment income in the first half was from the positive foreign currency translation effect, these valuation changes are subject to fluctuations and may not be sustained in the second half of the year.
In the face of the complex and volatile investment environment, the HKMA will continue to adhere to the principle of capital preservation first while maintaining long-term growth. We will continue to manage the Exchange Fund with prudence and flexibility, implement appropriate defensive measures, and maintain a high degree of liquidity. We will also continue our investment diversification to strive for higher long-term returns, and ensure that the Exchange Fund remains effective in achieving its purpose of maintaining monetary and financial stability of Hong Kong.”
Note 1: This is primarily the effect of translating foreign currency assets into Hong Kong dollar after deducting the portion for currency hedging. Note 2: This is the valuation change of investments held by investment holding subsidiaries of the Exchange Fund. This figure reflects the valuations at the end of March 2025. Valuation changes of these investments from April to June are not yet available. Note 3: This does not include the 2025 fee payment to the Future Fund because such amount will only be disclosed when the composite rate for 2025 is available.
The Government today announced the revision of the eligibility criteria for government-subsidised post-secondary student places and subsidies.
The revision – which will introduce two categories of tuition fees and revise the eligibility criteria – will apply to the 2027-28 academic year and thereafter.
Under the current admissions arrangements, dependant visa/entry permit holders who were below 18 years old when first issued with the visa/entry permit by the Immigration Department (ImmD) are considered local students.
There has been recent concern that some of these students did not come to reside in Hong Kong but applied for government-subsidised student places at University Grants Committee-funded universities as local students, which affected opportunities for university admission and the targeted use of public funds.
Having regard to overseas practices and the practical situation in Hong Kong, the Education Bureau considers it necessary for dependant children to reside in Hong Kong for two years before becoming eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places.
In addition, holders of a full-time employment visa/work permit or a visa/entry permit for various admission schemes will no longer be eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places.
The two categories of tuition fees being introduced are subsidised fees and non-subsidised fees respectively.
Persons holding specific documents are eligible for government-subsidised student places in relation to sub-degree, undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes.
These documents include a Hong Kong permanent identity card, other documents issued by the ImmD showing the right to land/right of abode in Hong Kong, and a visa label for unconditional stay; a One-way Permit for entry to Hong Kong; and a dependant visa/entry permit.
Holders of a dependant visa/entry permit who were below 18 years old when first issued with the visa/entry permit by the ImmD, must have resided in Hong Kong for two years immediately preceding the first day of their respective programmes.
The Government will put in place a transitional arrangement for the revision, whereby the residency requirement for the 2027-28 academic year will be set at one year. The two-year residency requirement will be implemented starting from the 2028-29 academic year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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: 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.”
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.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Correspondence
Letter from Martyn Oliver to the Secretary of State for Justice about Oakhill Secure Training Centre
Ofsted’s Chief Inspector sets out the intention to invoke the urgent notification process for Oakhill Secure Training Centre, along with findings from recent visits.
This letter was sent from Sir Martyn Oliver to the Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP. The letter sets out the intention to invoke the urgent notification process for Oakhill Secure Training Centre.
It also provides a summary of findings from previous visits.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Urgent notification issued for Oakhill STC after inspectors find profound and systemic failures
In response to the serious risk of harm to children, Ofsted, CQC and HMI Prisons have issued an urgent notification about Oakhill STC to the Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP.
The urgent notification comes after an inspection earlier this month found a palpable change in culture at Oakhill Secure Training Centre (STC) since its last inspection. Inspectors uncovered serious and systemic failures at the centre, with safeguarding systems in disarray.
Inspectors reported that Oakhill is no longer child-centred and staff conduct is of significant concern. Twenty-three staff were suspended between November 2024 and 13 July 2025, including 16 in response to allegations about their conduct with children. Since 14 July 2025, 7 more staff members have been suspended relating to their conduct with children.
Inspectors found a fractured leadership team. The centre director and one of the two deputy directors are suspended from their duties, and the other deputy director was recently dismissed from employment. An interim director and new deputy director have started work at the centre, but have had limited opportunity to make any meaningful impact.
Oakhill was judged inadequate at its last full inspection in October 2024. Since 2017, it has not been judged higher than ‘requires improvement to be good’.
The Secretary of State now has 28 days to respond with an action plan for improvement at the centre.
Notes to editors
The inspection of Oakhill Secure Training Centre took place from 21 to 25 July 2025; the full report will be published in line with Ofsted’s usual inspection timelines.
Donald Trump’s lawyers are pushing to get Rupert Murdoch deposed, and quickly.
The US president is suing the billionaire media owner, alongside the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones and others, for libel after it published an article alleging that Trump once wrote a “bawdy” birthday letter to the convicted sex offender, the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump and Murdoch have a transactional friendship that goes back decades. Despite past tensions, this rupture is something new in a relationship that has continued to serve both men’s interests.
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, professor of journalism Andrew Dodd at the University of Melbourne takes us back to where their relationship began in 1970s New York, to understand how Murdoch helped to build brand Trump.
Murdoch was already a very successful media magnate in Australia and the UK before he made his move to America. In 1976, after dabbling in two newspapers in Texas, he bought the New York Post.
“ Murdoch wanted to make it big in the US and to do that he really needed to break into New York,” says Dodd. US television networks were all based in US, he explains, “so by influencing what was going on in Manhattan, he was influencing the entire country’s media.”
Meanwhile, Trump was a young property developer from Queens. “ He’s wanting to develop and build, and he’s also wanting a profile because the profile will help him along the way,” says Dodd. “But he’s also an egomaniac. He needs publicity for its own sake, and so he’s attracted to the media.” Trump became easy and frequent fodder for the new Page Six gossip column of Murdoch’s New York Post.
Dodd says that both men saw in each other “opportunities for their own advancement”. For Trump, it was about access to notoriety. For Murdoch, a newcomer and foreigner in New York, he needed to make friends quickly and start establishing relationships. “He’s becoming ingratiated with power in the city, and so they’re all using one another,” he says.
Listen to the conversation with Andrew Dodd about Trump and Murdoch and the power they now wield over each other, on The Conversation Weekly podcast.
This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Ashlynne McGhee. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Andrew Dodd 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.