Phase 3 Trial: 50IU vs 20IU OnabotulinumtoxinA for Chronic Anal Fissure

NIH has registered a Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT07543315) evaluating the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A injection for chronic anal fissure treatment, comparing a high dose of 50IU versus a low dose of 20IU. The trial will assess healing rates, fissure pain, incontinence, and return to daily activity as primary outcomes. Patients will be divided into two groups receiving the respective doses via the same injection technique.

PROTECT-ICU: ICU Staff Training to Reduce PICS

NIH registered clinical trial NCT07542613 for PROTECT-ICU, a study examining whether structured training programs for intensive care unit staff can reduce post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) in adults. The trial will compare the standard ABCDEF care bundle against an expanded A-Z bundle including additional practices such as nutrition, sleep, infection prevention, and psychological support.

CGM and Group Intervention for Prediabetes Study

NIH registered ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT07543068, a randomized investigation examining whether combining continuous glucose monitor (CGM) devices with group behavioral intervention sessions can reduce A1C levels and improve self-management confidence in adults with prediabetes. The study will enroll participants with confirmed prediabetes or non-diabetic hyperglycemia and deliver interventions through regular small-group educational meetings alongside real-time glucose monitoring. Results will inform diabetes prevention strategies.

Phase 1 Stem Cell Trial, Systemic Sclerosis, Apr 2026

NIH registered a Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT07542067) evaluating allogeneic stromal mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton's jelly in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis and refractory pulmonary involvement. The single-site study, expected to begin April 2026, will assess safety and preliminary efficacy of intravenous stem cell infusion in a patient population with limited therapeutic alternatives and poor survival prognosis.

DPH Encourages Residents to Dispose of Unused Prescription Medicines During Drug Take Back Day

SC DPH is encouraging South Carolina residents to participate in the DEA-hosted National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., by disposing of unused or expired prescription medications at designated collection sites. The announcement cites state data showing 2,157 drug overdose deaths in 2023 (6.1% decrease from 2022), with 1,840 attributed to prescription drugs, and 1,479 provisional deaths in 2024. Drop-off sites will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and solid prescription drugs; vaping devices, liquids, sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. Free Overdose Prevention Safety Kits containing fentanyl test strips, naloxone (Narcan), and treatment resources are available at DPH health clinics without appointments or ID.

No New Measles Cases Since Friday, Outbreak Total Stays 997

South Carolina DPH reported no new measles cases on April 21, 2026, keeping the Upstate outbreak total at 997 cases. Forty-one individuals remain in quarantine related to a Saluda County exposure, with quarantine ending May 9. If no new outbreak-related cases are reported, the outbreak would end April 26, following a 42-day period with no new cases.

Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Kershaw County; Two Horses Exposed

The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed a raccoon found near Bishopville Highway and Lee Road in Camden tested positive for rabies on April 20, 2026, after being submitted for testing on April 17. Two horses were exposed and will be quarantined as required under the South Carolina Rabies Control Act; no human exposures are known at this time. This is the first rabid animal case in Kershaw County in 2026, with 25 cases reported statewide this year and 101 confirmed cases in 2025.

Canada-France Securities Cross-Listing Agreement Supports Prospectus Reviews

The AMF Quebec, Ontario Securities Commission, and AMF France signed a cooperation agreement on April 20, 2026, establishing a collaborative procedure to support initial cross-listing of securities by way of prospectus in Canada and France. The agreement facilitates dialogue and information sharing between securities regulators but does not provide regulatory relief—companies must still comply with all applicable regulatory and exchange requirements of both countries. Enhanced support and assistance will be available from all three regulators throughout the prospectus review process.

Joint Forum of Financial Regulators Discuss Retirees Financial Security in Montreal

The Joint Forum of Financial Market Regulators held its Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec on April 15, 2026, bringing together members of CCIR, CSA, CAPSA, CISRO, and the Mortgage Brokers' Council of Canada. The forum focused on retirees' financial security, including presentations from OECD on barriers to financial advice access and from the National Institute on Ageing on helping Canadians prepare for retirement beyond pensions. Regulators emphasized the importance of inter-regulatory coordination given that retirees rely on financial products spanning multiple regulated sectors.

UK Cyber Chief Warns of Perfect Storm for Cyber Security Amid AI Threats

NCSC CEO Dr. Richard Horne is expected to deliver a keynote at the CYBERUK conference in Glasgow on April 22, 2026, warning that the UK faces a 'perfect storm' for cyber security driven by AI technological advances and geopolitical tensions. The NCSC reports that the majority of nationally significant cyber incidents it handles now originate directly or indirectly from nation states, with frontier AI rapidly enabling vulnerability discovery at scale.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. USDOI - FLPMA Land Exchange Authority

The Ninth Circuit denied petitions for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc (Dkt. Nos. 129 and 131) in Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. USDOI, leaving intact a panel ruling that the general land-exchange authorization under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 does not override a specific 1900 Act provision restricting disposal of ceded Fort Hall Indian Reservation lands. Judges Collins and Tung each dissented from the en banc denial, with Collins arguing the panel misread the 1900 Act and Tung arguing the two statutes can be harmonized.

Bolandian Insider Trading Conviction Vacated, Remanded

The Ninth Circuit vacated Shahriyar Bolandian's six-count insider trading conviction and remanded for a new trial, holding that the district court failed to adequately investigate when Juror No. 6 expressed uncertainty about his impartiality. The appellate court found the district court impermissibly delegated its independent duty to investigate juror bias to the juror himself, violating Bolandian's Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury. Reviewing for plain error, the panel held the district court plainly erred in failing to strike Juror No. 6 and that this error affected Bolandian's substantial rights and the fairness and public reputation of the proceedings.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. USDOI - FLPMA Land Exchange Rehearing Denied

The Ninth Circuit denied petitions for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc in Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. USDOI on April 21, 2026, upholding the panel majority's affirmance of summary judgment for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. The court held that the general land exchange authorization under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act does not vitiate a specific 1900 Act provision restricting disposal of certain Fort Hall Indian Reservation ceded lands to specified categories of law. Judges Collins and Tung dissented, arguing FLPMA's uniform disposal procedures superseded the 1900 Act's exclusivity provision.

McAuliffe v. Robinson Helicopter Co. — GARA Rolling Provision Interpretation

The Ninth Circuit reversed in part the district court's summary judgment for Robinson Helicopter Company in a wrongful death action arising from a fatal helicopter sightseeing crash in Kailua, Hawai'i on April 29, 2019. The court held that GARA's rolling provision (Section 2(a)(2)) does not require substantive alteration of replacement parts to restart the eighteen-year repose period — only that replacement parts from the manufacturer were installed. The district court must reconsider causation on remand. The court affirmed the district court's rejection of the fraud exception, finding plaintiffs made no particularized allegations of knowing FAA misrepresentation.

Texas SB3056 Creates Alluvium Ranch Municipal Management District No. 1

Texas SB3056 creates the Alluvium Ranch Municipal Management District No. 1 in Grayson County, effective June 20, 2025. The bill grants the district authority to issue bonds, impose assessments, fees, and taxes, and exercise limited eminent domain. The legislation passed the Texas Senate unanimously (31-0 on May 14) and the Texas House unanimously (141-0 on May 28) before being filed without the Governor's signature.

SB293 Relating to Judicial Discipline, Compensation, and Transparency

Texas Senate Bill 293 was signed into law by the Governor on June 20, 2025, establishing comprehensive reforms to judicial discipline procedures administered by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The bill authorizes administrative penalties, modifies judicial compensation and retirement benefits, and creates new transparency reporting requirements for the judiciary. The Senate passed SB293 31-0 on March 12, 2025, and the House passed the conference committee report 114-26 on June 2, 2025.

SB467 Fire Homestead Property Tax Exemption

Texas Senate Bill 467 creates a temporary property tax exemption for the appraised value of improvements to residence homesteads that are completely destroyed by fire. The bill was signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 20, 2025, with an effective date of 2025-06-20. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously (31-0) on April 29, 2025, and the House unanimously (144-0 on third reading) on May 27, 2025. Sponsors include Senators Angela Paxton (R), Judith Zaffirini (D), Cesar Blanco (D), and Representative Cole Hefner (R). Property owners whose homesteads are completely destroyed by fire may claim this exemption from ad valorem taxation on the improvement value.

Anti-Dumping Measures Expiry Notice — Grain-Oriented Silicon-Electrical Steel

The European Commission has published notice in the Official Journal that anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of grain-oriented flat-rolled products of silicon-electrical steel from the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America will expire on 18 January 2027 at midnight. The measures were originally imposed under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/58. Union producers may submit a written request for an expiry review to the Commission's Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, provided the request is submitted no later than three months before the expiry date.

Proxy Voting for MEPs During Pregnancy and After Birth

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution on 13 November 2025 amending the European Electoral Act to permit Members of the European Parliament to vote by proxy in plenary sessions during pregnancy and after giving birth. This resolution, adopted under the European Parliament's right to initiate reform of its own electoral procedure, aims to promote work-life balance and enhance gender equality in political participation. The amendment was published in the Official Journal of the European Union C series on 22 April 2026 under reference C/2026/1667.

EU Continues Moldova Sanctions: Notice to Listed Persons and Entities on Restrictive Measures

The Council of the European Union has reviewed the list of natural and legal persons subject to restrictive measures under Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 (as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/897) and Council Regulation (EU) 2023/888 (as implemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/898) concerning actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova. The Council has determined that these restrictive measures shall continue to apply to listed persons and entities. Listed parties may apply to competent Member State authorities for authorisation to access frozen funds for basic needs under Article 3 of the Regulation, or submit a delisting request to the Council before 3 November 2026.

Thames Freeport Skills Programme, £1.17M, Deadline 30 April

Thames Freeport has issued a preliminary market engagement notice under the Procurement Act 2023 to establish a £1.17M framework for skills training programmes across Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and Thurrock. The procurement, managed by Avencera on behalf of Thames Freeport, will appoint a pool of approved training providers with the first call-off contracts targeting construction, advanced manufacturing, and logistics training. Two online supplier briefing events are scheduled for 28 April and 30 April 2026, with the engagement deadline set for 30 April 2026.

Humber Bridge Board Seeks £600k Electrical Contractor

The Humber Bridge Board has published a below-threshold open tender under the Procurement Act 2023 for the upgrade of existing electrical infrastructure at the Humber Bridge. The estimated contract value is £600,000 including VAT (£500,000 excluding VAT), covering design and installation of new and modified electrical infrastructure, and removal of redundant equipment. The contract is estimated to run from 22 June 2026 to 22 June 2027. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are listed as being of particular suitability for this procurement.

London Borough of Haringey £300k MEP Contract for Alexandra Palace Joint Security Room

The London Borough of Haringey has published a contract notice for Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) services to create a new Joint Security Room at Alexandra Palace, with an estimated contract value of £300,000 excluding VAT. The procurement follows a Restricted procedure and is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement. Tenders must be submitted electronically by 12 May 2026, with the contract scheduled to run from 22 June 2026 to 31 August 2026.

XVIVO Liver Perfusion Sets Awarded to KCH for £412,930

KCH Interventional Facilities Management LLP awarded a £412,930 contract (excluding VAT) to XVIVO B.V. for liver perfusion sets under a direct award procedure justified by technical uniqueness. The contract runs from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027 with a possible 1-year extension option to 30 April 2028. NICE completed a review in 2025 confirming XVIVO as the only supplier capable of facilitating both Normothermic Perfusion and Hypothermic Perfusion through their Liver Assist products.

End of Life and Palliative Care Services Contract Award, £2,273,542

NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has published a contract award notice for End of Life and Palliative Care Services in York valued at £2,273,542 (excluding VAT), awarded to St. Leonard's Hospice York. The contract covers three service streams: a 20-bed inpatient unit for terminal and specialist palliative care, community-based domiciliary end of life care for adults aged 18 and over, and a personal carer support service providing respite for families. The award was made under Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Process C to the existing provider, with the contract running from 05/05/2026 to 04/05/2027. The notice triggers a standstill period; provider representations must be submitted by 23:59hrs on 5 May 2026.

Allan Webb Ltd Removed From Space Technology Solutions Contract

The Government Commercial Agency removed Allan Webb Ltd from the Space Technology Solutions dynamic market notice under the Procurement Act 2023, effective 21 April 2026. The supplier was removed across 35 product and service categories spanning satellite components, ground infrastructure, space-based sensors, UxV technology, SATCOM services, software including AI/ML, and engineering support. The contracting authority is the Government Commercial Agency, a central government body based in Liverpool.

£60k Fun and Fitness Contract Awarded to OXLEAS NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Borough of Greenwich has awarded a £60,000 contract (including VAT) to OXLEAS NHS Foundation Trust for specialist fitness and support services enabling adults with learning disabilities to participate in physical activity. The contract runs approximately 11 months from 21 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Direct Award Process C, following a below-threshold procurement with no competition. The contract is classified as Light Touch under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

Leisure Centre Decarbonisation Works, Southwark, £3.5m

The London Borough of Southwark has published a pipeline notice for decarbonisation works at The Castle Leisure Centre SE1 6FG, part of Phase 4 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funded by Salix Finance. The estimated contract value is £2,956,930 excluding VAT (£3,547,668 including VAT), with works running from 23 July 2026 to 31 May 2027. Procurement will proceed via a single-stage limited competition below threshold, with particular suitability for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Braintree Council Awards £4.68m Temporary Workers Contract to First Call Contract Services

Braintree District Council has awarded a three-year temporary workers contract worth £3,902,511.26 excluding VAT (£4,683,013.51 including VAT) to First Call Contract Services Ltd, commencing 22 April 2026 and running until 21 April 2029, with a possible extension to 21 April 2031. The contract covers supply of temporary staff to support Operations department services including Waste Services, Trade Waste Collections, Street Cleansing, Horticulture, Grounds Maintenance, and HGV Repair and Maintenance. The contract is non-exclusive and may be subject to successor body arrangements following potential Local Government Reform.

MOT Testing Station Expansion Roofing Works - Tyneside

Newcastle City Council published a tender notice on 21 April 2026 for roofing works associated with the expansion and extension of its MOT Testing Station at 2 Wincomblee Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 3PF. The estimated contract value is £100,000 including VAT, with works scheduled from 1 June 2026 to 1 June 2027. The submission deadline is 19 May 2026 at 2:00pm, with quality weighted at 60% and price at 40% in the award criteria.

End of Life and Palliative Care Services North Yorkshire £88,023 Contract Award

NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has published a contract award notice for End of Life and Palliative Care Services in North Yorkshire, awarded to Darlington and District Hospice Movement for £88,023. The contract runs from 05/05/2026 to 04/05/2027 and covers specialist palliative care including inpatient admissions, Day Hospice services, and bereavement counselling. This is a direct award under process C of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, with a standstill period ending at 23:59hrs on 5 May 2026 for provider representations.

Lindsey Lodge Wins £4.3M End of Life Care Contract

NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has awarded a £4,293,000 contract to Lindsey Lodge Limited for End of Life and Palliative Care Services and Lymphoedema Service. The contract covers inpatient care (10-bed unit), daycare services, community lymphoedema service, and six nurse-led discharge-to-assess community beds in North Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. The contract was awarded via Provider Selection Regime (PSR) process C without prior publication of a call for competition, with a standstill period ending 23:59 on 5 May 2026. Contract term runs from 5 May 2026 to 4 May 2029.

Bank of Ghana Economic News Brief April 21 2026

This Bank of Ghana news brief page dated April 21, 2026, serves as a navigation and index page providing access to the full PDF document and links to other economic news briefs from throughout April 2026. No substantive regulatory content, policy announcements, or compliance obligations are contained on this page itself — the actual content resides in the linked PDF document.

Wisconsin DPI Recognizes 95 Schools of Recognition for 2024-25

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction announced that 95 schools have earned 2024-25 Schools of Recognition honors across three categories: High Achieving Schools (16 schools ranking in the top 10% for reading and mathematics achievement), High Progress Schools (15 schools showing significant growth in student outcomes or graduation rates), and High Impact Schools (71 schools serving high percentages of economically disadvantaged students with above-average achievement). The program, launched in 2003, recognizes Title I schools that demonstrate significant strides in student growth and achievement.

Cancer Screening Education Syrian Migrants Turkey

The National Institutes of Health registered a new clinical study (NCT07541105) evaluating a theory-based educational intervention to improve cancer screening participation among Syrian migrants in Turkey. The study will develop a Cancer Protection Motivation Scale and assess barriers and beliefs related to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening using a mixed-methods pretest-posttest design.

CT Image-Assisted Colonoscopy Improves Insertion Time, Patient Comfort

The NIH ClinicalTrials.gov registry has posted a new single-blind randomized controlled trial (NCT07541924) evaluating whether pre-existing CT abdominal/pelvic imaging can improve colonoscopy outcomes. The study will compare image-assisted colonoscope insertion against standard colonoscopy, measuring cecal intubation time, patient comfort, physician workload, and examination quality. Estimated enrollment and study completion dates are listed on the registry.

Lebrikizumab Phase 3 Nummular Eczema Trial, Apr 21

NIH ClinicalTrials.gov registered Phase 3 trial NCT07542483 evaluating lebrikizumab in adults with Nummular Eczema inadequately controlled with topical corticosteroids. The randomized, placebo-controlled study will assess efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lebrikizumab monotherapy.

Clinical Outcomes After Non-curative Endoscopic Resection in Early Colorectal Cancer

The NIH has registered a new observational study (NCT07542171) on ClinicalTrials.gov to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with early colorectal cancer who undergo non-curative endoscopic resection. The multicenter study will compare recurrence and survival outcomes between different management strategies, including additional surgery or surveillance, and will develop a risk stratification model to guide individualized treatment decisions.

NCT07543419: Italian HS Secukinumab Observational Study

NIH has registered an observational study (NCT07543419) evaluating treatment patterns with secukinumab in adult patients with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa within the Italian population. The study aims to collect real-world data on treatment response, clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, and economic impact of HS in Italy. No regulatory obligations are imposed by this database entry.

Phase 1 Nalmefene Pharmacokinetic Study, April 2026

NIH has registered a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic study on ClinicalTrials.gov evaluating nalmefene 0.5 mg administered via intravenous bolus and intramuscular injection in healthy subjects. The three-arm study includes nalmefene with 0.94% MgCl2 and nalmefene hydrochloride injection. Conditions studied include opioid overdose.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Wearable Sensors and ePROs in Early Phase Clinical Trials

NIH's ClinicalTrials.gov registered a single-arm pilot study (NCT07541365) at Cleveland Clinic Novel Therapeutics Clinic evaluating wearable sensor-based monitoring and electronic patient-reported outcomes in Phase I oncology clinical trials. The study will assess feasibility and acceptability of integrating digital health technologies into early-phase cancer clinical trials, enrolling participants already in early phase trials.

Sodium Bicarbonate Contrast EIT Lung Perfusion Pilot Study

NIH registered a prospective observational pilot study (NCT07542366) evaluating whether sodium bicarbonate can serve as a safe and effective contrast agent for electrical impedance tomography (EIT) imaging of lung blood flow in mechanically ventilated adults. The study will compare sodium bicarbonate (5%) against hypertonic saline (10% sodium chloride) within the same participants to assess image quality and short-term safety including effects on blood pressure, heart rhythm, and blood tests. Participants include adults with acute respiratory failure, ARDS, pneumonia, or critical illness in ICU settings.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Detection of Biofilm Formation and Efflux Pump Activity in Multi-drug Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae

NIH's ClinicalTrials.gov registered observational study NCT07541690, an examination of phenotypic and genotypic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in multi-drug resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae. The study will analyze 70 urine, pus, and sputum samples using culture, biochemical testing, antimicrobial susceptibility profiling, and PCR-based gene detection for biofilm formation and efflux pump activity. No compliance obligations are created by this registry entry.

Boil Water Advisory Rescinded for City of Fort Scott Bourbon County

KDHE has rescinded the boil water advisory for the City of Fort Scott public water supply system in Bourbon County, Kansas, effective April 21, 2026. The advisory was originally issued due to a waterline break causing loss of pressure in the distribution system, which risked bacteriological contamination from reduced chlorine residuals. Laboratory testing of drinking water samples collected from the City of Fort Scott showed no evidence of bacteriological contamination, and KDHE officials confirmed all conditions that placed the system at risk are resolved. The advisory remains in effect for Bourbon Co RWD 2C and City of Uniontown public water supply systems.

Boil Water Advisory Rescinded for Jefferson Co RWD 7, Jefferson County

KDHE has rescinded a boil water advisory for Jefferson Co RWD 7 public water supply system in Jefferson County, effective April 21, 2026. The advisory was originally issued on April 16, 2026 due to a waterline break that caused a loss of pressure in the distribution system, which risked chlorine residual loss and bacterial contamination. Laboratory testing of drinking water samples confirmed no bacteriological contamination, and KDHE officials have determined all conditions that placed the system at risk are resolved.

Master of the Rolls Predicts AI to Reshape Justice Delivery

Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, delivered a keynote address at the Association of Law Teachers Conference 2026 at Exeter University on 16 April 2026. The speech predicts that within 15-20 years, routine judicial decision-making will be informed or directed by algorithmic systems as reliable as human judges, with initial deployment likely requiring party consent before becoming routine as litigants recognise cost and speed benefits. The Master of the Rolls argues that lawyers and judges will remain essential for developing legal principles, guiding parties' understanding and acceptance of machine-made decisions, and maintaining public trust in justice.

UK-EU Competition Cooperation Agreement Published April 2026

On 15 April 2026, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office published the UK-EU Agreement regarding Cooperation on the Application of their Respective Competition Laws, implementing Article 361 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This is the first agreement enabling EU national competition authorities, as well as the Commission, to cooperate directly with a third-country competition authority (the CMA only; UK sector regulators with concurrent competition powers are excluded). The Agreement contains four key provisions: mandatory notification of enforcement activities likely to affect the other party's important interests; voluntary coordination of same or related enforcement activities; negative comity obligations requiring careful consideration of each other's important interests; and permitted sharing of information including confidential information subject to applicable domestic law.

UK Proposals Could Extend ILR Wait to 20 Years

The UK government has announced proposals to significantly extend the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to ten years for most migrants, with some categories facing waits of up to 20 years (refugees) or 30 years (those who entered illegally or overstayed). Under the plans, high-skilled workers earning above £125,140 could qualify after three years, while those who have claimed benefits would face 20-year waits. The Home Office projects settlement grants will rise significantly over the next five years, reaching 163,000 in the year ending June 2025.

Chief Magistrate Dismisses Private Prosecution as Abuse of Process

Paul Goldspring, Chief Magistrate for England and Wales, has dismissed a private prosecution application by the International Centre for Justice of Palestinians (ICJP) under the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 against a dual British-Israeli national serving in the Israeli armed forces. The judge found the application constituted an abuse of process, citing 'profound breaches of the duty of candour' including the failure to disclose six separate government statements between 2014 and 2025 on British nationals serving in Israel's armed forces. The application for a summons was refused and the proceedings were found to be vexatious.

Competition Appeal Tribunal Rejects Salmon Cartel Collective Proceedings Order

The Competition Appeal Tribunal unanimously rejected a collective proceedings order application over an alleged salmon production cartel, finding that proposed legal costs exceeding £20m were disproportionate to anticipated class damages of £3.10–£16.91 per household. The CAT raised concerns about the class representative charging £300 per hour and invited Waterside Class Limited to reformulate the proceedings to address cost-benefit concerns.