Question for written answer E-000674/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Barbara Bonte (PfE)
The following questions relate to Commission Decision (EU) 2024/3080 of 4 December 2024 establishing the Rules of Procedure of the Commission and amending Decision C(2000) 3614:
1.What considerations led the Commission to narrow the definition of documents accessible to the public through requests for information?
2.Does the Commission not regard access to internal decision-making documents, such as legal advice and expert opinions, as essential for citizens to participate in the democratic process?
3.How does the Commission reconcile restricting public access to documents with the democratic principles and open government it claims to uphold?
Question for written answer E-000764/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Kostas Papadakis (NI)
In Greece, employees of the Civil Aviation Authority complain that the problem of staff shortages is growing, particularly in critical divisions, such as the Athens and Macedonia Region Control Centre, which monitors most flights within the FIR/UIR. Staff numbers for this region have been halved despite air traffic doubling. There are more than 100 vacant posts across the country.
For the past seven years there have been warnings about the fact that the collision avoidance system in the control tower of Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, which warns when aircraft are on a collision course, is not functioning, meaning that the air traffic controller on duty ‘does not receive a notification from the system and, therefore, the avoidance of incidents depends solely on the operational acumen and readiness of the controller’.
In light of the above:
1.What view does the Commission take of the fact that the Single European Sky guidelines, for example concerning the pursuit of profit by monopolistic business groups, lead to understaffed civil aviation services, major work intensification and to corners being cut in terms of safety measures and modern safety systems, increasing the risk of major aviation ‘accidents’/crimes?
2.What view does it take of the fact that the so-called unification of European airspace in the name of ‘single European borders’ goes against the sovereign rights of Member States – essentially stripping them of the power to control and manage their national airspace, entailing serious consequences and risks for their defence security – and is combined with dangerous NATO and EU military planning?
Question for written answer E-000758/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Carolina Morace (The Left)
Italy has requested that the list of free-to-air sporting events of national interest be updated to include the finals and semi-finals of the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup and the United Cup when the Italian national team is competing, as well as the finals and semi-finals of the Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP and WTA Finals, the ATP Masters 1000 and 500 tournaments, the WTA 1000 and 500 tournaments, and the Italian Open where Italian athletes are involved. The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy has sent the proposal to the Commission for approval.
The measure is designed to safeguard the public’s right of access to sporting events of national interest, in line with the principle of equal access to public interest content. The Commission has yet to come to a decision, however, and this is generating uncertainty as to the timeline and whether the measure has a future.
In light of the above:
1.Can the Commission indicate the status of Italy’s request and how long a decision is likely to take?
2.Can it elucidate any regulatory or procedural barriers that may be holding up approval?
3.Can it provide a clearer framework for recognising the right of EU citizens to access sporting events of national interest for free?
As the Climate Change Committee publishes its 7th carbon budget [1], the co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, has demanded the Government ensure ambitious climate action isn’t delayed any further – and for polluters to pay the highest price, not the poorest in our communities.
Adrian Ramsay MP said: “Today’s advice from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) makes clear that a climate safe future is still within our grasp – and that the cost of not reducing climate emissions will be far higher for our economy than the cost of investment in net zero. Crucially, we need to see the Government make investment choices that result in households benefiting financially from climate action too – both by ensuring everyone can access renewables and energy efficiency and because they are paying lower bills. The public are clear that they want to see the worst climate polluters pay, and we need to make sure that the costs of climate action never fall on those least able to afford it.
“A thriving green economy is also vital if we are to prevent climate deniers, like Reform, from weaponising the mass destruction of climate chaos. Instead, we must help the most vulnerable and build resilience in communities to adapt to climate breakdown.”
He continued: “Without an immediate acceleration of climate ambition, our economy, national security and environment are all at serious risk. That’s why we are disappointed not to see the CCC go even further on measures to reduce energy demand. In the face of impending airport expansion decisions by this Labour government, more ambitious policy is urgently needed to keep the aviation sector in check. Their advice shows strong public support for limiting airport expansion and introducing a frequent flier levy where the small percentage of the population who take the vast majority of the flights have to pay more .
“The CCC have shown that a positive, fairer, jobs-rich, greener future is possible, and they have set a clear pathway for the Government to follow. Now, we need the Government to step up, stop the vested interests who are intent on delaying, and show the ambition and leadership this moment demands.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Using AI and drone technology to protect seals in Norfolk
The survey results of a Natural England two-year pilot project to monitor seal populations are in.
AI analysis of drone images. Credits: Natural England
The two-year project has used drone technology combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor seal populations and their pups off the coast of Norfolk.
In December 2024, a team of specialists from Natural England launched a drone over the beach at Winterton-on-Sea in Norfolk. Instance segmentation (a type of AI), was then used to automatically detect individual seals from the drone imagery and distinguish between adult seals and whitecoat pups, even when grouped closely together.
The survey identified over 8,500 seals along an 8 kilometre stretch of shoreline, in comparison to a volunteer-led ground count which recorded more than 6,200 seals.
Traditionally, seal population monitoring relied on manual ground observations and aerial surveys, which posed a challenge in terms of collecting accurate data, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. Now, drones equipped with high-resolution cameras can capture imagery from 110 meters above, minimising disturbance to the seals.
Gabriella Fasoli, Earth Observation Higher Data Scientist at Natural England, said: “The AI model detected over 8,500 seals while the volunteers on the ground counted 6,200. This difference is likely due to the drone’s aerial perspective, which provides a unique viewpoint from above, allowing for a more accurate count by detecting seals that may be hidden or less visible from the ground.”
Although these new monitoring methods have the potential to enhance the accuracy of our population assessments for the UK’s seals, volunteers on the ground will remain crucial to documenting and protecting them.
Emma Milner, Senior Marine Mammal Specialist at Natural England, said: “This project has shown that drones and the use of AI technology can be a cost and time efficient alternative method of monitoring seal populations.
“This cutting-edge technology will help contribute to a comprehensive national picture of seal populations, allowing us to better understand population changes over time and to assess the impact of human activity on these crucial habitats, enabling better conservation efforts.
“It is our hope that in the future, the methods from this two-year pilot project can be developed to allow drone surveys at other important sites around the country, and for other species as well as grey seals.”
The UK is a crucial breeding ground for grey seals, hosting 35% of the global population. Despite their recovery from a worldwide total of 500 seals in the early 20th century to over 160,000 today, ongoing monitoring remains essential to their protection.
Natural England has special permission to fly drones for the purpose of this scientific survey and followed the appropriate best practice guidelines to minimise disturbance to the seals. Members of the public should not fly drones over seal colonies without the appropriate permissions.
New technology is unlocking possibilities at Natural England and helping inform nature-based solutions. Whether it’s managing flood risk, improving farming practices, or monitoring wildlife, these innovations are showing how modern tools can work in harmony with, not against, nature.
For more information, please contact:
Natural England & Environment Agency – East Anglia press office: Communications_East@environment-agency.gov.uk
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment to an unknown disease breakout in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, University of East Anglia (UEA), said:
“This is another cluster of fatalities in one of the poorer African countries. These are not rare. We saw another such cluster in DRC last November/December time. That last one turned out to be malaria and the was likely more severe as a result of increased malnutrition.
“So far I am not aware of much information about the current problem other than it is in the northwest of the country there are apparently two separate clusters in the area. The earlier cluster was reported in 21 January 2025 and is centred on Boloko Village in Bolomba Health District. The more recent cluster is in Bomate Village in Basankusu Health Zone and this was reported on the 9th February. No link is known between these two clusters. So far test results are negative foe Ebola and Marburg.
“The only other bit of information is that in the earlier cluster some of the children who died had apparently consumed bat carcasses. But the relevance of that is not yet known.
“What is causing these two clusters is not yet known or indeed whether the same thing is responsible for both. It is certainly possible that we have a similar issue to last autumn with malaria and malnutrition. But we need to wait the results of ongoing investigations to know the cause.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
New research published in Cell found a bat-infecting coronavirus can enter human cells in a similar way to COVID-19.
Dr Samuel Ellis, Research Fellow, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH), University College London (UCL), said:
“Virologists have been studying coronaviruses in bats and mammals for a long time, with the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrating the significant risks if such viruses evolve the ability to infect humans. This latest study has identified a new member of the coronavirus family that is able to infect some cells by targeting the human ACE2 receptor, similar to SARS-CoV-2. This similarity means it should be further studied as part of surveillance for future threats, but the researchers do highlight that this virus is currently suboptimal for human adaptation and not to exaggerate any immediate risk. Furthermore, this research only showed infection of cells in the lab not animals or humans, and promisingly they found that antibody and antiviral drug therapies developed for COVID-19 could also be effective against this new virus. This sort of study is an example of the important work scientists are performing around the world to identify risks early and develop countermeasures to try and prevent future viral pandemic threats.”
Prof Simon Clarke, Associate Professor in Cellular Microbiology, University of Reading, said:
“The finding of another bat coronavirus that gains entry human and animal cells by unlocking them in the same way as Covid-19 is naturally of concern and will worry people, but it shouldn’t be all that surprising. This way of accessing cells is probably far more common than we realise, and the more scientists look for these things, the more examples they’re likely to find. Many viral infections in humans are of animal origin, so it’s important that we keep improving our understanding of possible future threats.
“We shouldn’t get too hung up on what is just one part of the way the virus interacts with our bodies; things are much more complicated. This coronavirus is more closely related to the one that caused MERS which was never able to spread as quickly and efficiently as SARS or Covid-19 and so far, there’s no indication that this one would be any different.”
Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, University of East Anglia, said:
“There are very many different coronaviruses infecting bats worldwide, probably over 3,000 [1] All of these have the potential to develop into a human pathogen.
“But that does not mean they will cause significant health problems in human populations. I really doubt that covid will be the last pandemic due to an emergent coronavirus from bats. But whether that in in 10, 20, 50 or 100 years from now I would not like to guess.
“For a bat coronavirus to cause a pandemic in humans there needs to be a number of events.
“1, The virus has to infected at least one human either directly from a bat or more likely indirectly through another intermediate mammal like the civet cat in the 2005 SARS pandemic, camels with MERS, or possibly pangolins with covid. The involvement of an intermediate animal probably increases the amount of virus compared to what would be found in bats.
“2, The virus has to then spread to other people, more likely in crowded cities then in remote rural communities
“3, The virus needs to evolve to be more transmissible in humans. I suspect most animal to human transmission events do not spread to more than the occasional further cases. But if the virus evolves to be more infectious then we can have a problem.
“So, is HKU5-CoV-2 something we need to worry about? Not specifically. But we do need to remain vigilant about all coronaviruses. At some point a coronavirus will trigger another pandemic, maybe not in the next few decades. When that does happen will it be HKU5-CoV-2? Again probably not but it may be.”
Dr Efstathious Giotis, Lecturer in Molecular Virology, University of Essex, said:
“Scientists have identified a new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, in China that can bind to human ACE2 receptors, the same entry point used by SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19. HKU5-CoV-2 belongs to a different group of coronaviruses than SARS-CoV-2 called merbecoviruses, which include the MERS virus (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). Until now, merbecoviruses were not known to use ACE2 as a receptor, making this discovery scientifically significant.
Can it cause an epidemic?
“There is no evidence that HKU5-CoV-2 can cause an epidemic in humans. While it can bind to human ACE2 receptors, its ability to do so appears weaker than SARS-CoV-2, making infection less likely. There are no known human cases, and no proof of human-to-human transmission.”
Shall we be concerned?
“There is no cause for concern at this stage. The study was conducted in laboratory conditions, and there is no evidence that HKU5-CoV-2 is circulating in humans or if it’s able to spread among humans. Its ability to bind to ACE2 appears weaker than SARS-CoV-2, making human infection less likely. Therefore, HKU5-CoV-2 is not an immediate threat, but its ability to use ACE2 means it should be closely monitored.”
Dr Gary R McLean, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, said:
“The study in Cell is from virology groups in China that study bat coronaviruses that have potential for the jump into humans. They are based in Wuhan and Guangzhou, where previous coronavirus spillovers to human have occurred. Interestingly this newly discovered virus lineage (HKU5-CoV-2), despite evolving in bats, can effectively use human entry receptor protein ACE2 for infection of human cells and tissues. However, these are biochemical studies that show the potential for this new bat virus to infect humans cells and there is no evidence for this occurring in nature. Thus there is the potential for this new virus to spillover to human like previous coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2. Hopefully the Chinese authorities now have good surveillance systems in place and the laboratories work to rigid safety standards that minimise the risk of spillover occurring. This paper does suggest that bat coronaviruses can evolve to use human entry receptors for infection, sidestepping the traditional route of amplification via an intermediate species – yet to be unequivocally found for SARS-CoV-2.”
‘Bat-infecting merbecovirus HKU5-CoV lineage 2 can use human ACE2 as a cell entry receptor’by Chen et al. was published in Cell on Tuesday 18th February.
Dr Samuel Ellis “I have no direct COIs to declare on this news/study, but have been involved in some previous COVID-19 trials of antiviral drugs, such as PANORAMIC (NIHR).”
Dr Gary R McLean None
Prof Paul Hunter None
Dr Efstathious Giotis None
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
Stakeholders and the public are asked to feedback their views on a proposed new planning policy in the local plan and a new Article 4 Direction, which will introduce a more restrictive approach to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) within certain locations of the city.
The Article 4 Direction HMO area is proposed to provide greater planning control over the number of new HMOs.
In a recent review, the Council found over 900 HMOs operating across the city. This high number of HMOs within Preston’s urban area is negatively impacting on the amenity and quality of life of residents, including on-street parking, cleanliness of streets and anti-social behaviour.
The new proposed policy approach will give Preston City Council the power to say no and have more control of proposed HMOs in the area.
The Article 4 Direction will cover Preston’s main urban area, north of the River Ribble, east of the A582 (Edith Rigby Way), south of the M55 motorway, and west of the M6 motorway.
Councillor Amber Afzal, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulation, said:
“There is evidence that there are too many HMOs in the city, more than are necessary to meet local needs. This has an impact on residents’ quality of life and reduces the supply of much-needed family accommodation.
“The Council are therefore consulting on introducing additional controls to limit the number of new HMOs through the planning process and we encourage the public to come along to our consultations to feedback on our proposed approach.”
Consultations events will run throughout the next seven weeks, alongside the Central Lancashire Local Plan, giving stakeholders and the public the opportunity to feedback on the HMO review and the Central Lancashire Local Plan.
Face-to-face events in Preston
Wednesday 26 February, Preston Markets, 11am to 2pm
Wednesday 5 March, UCLan Cottam Campus, 3pm to 6om
Thursday 6 March, Grimsargh Village Hall, 3.30pm to 6.30pm
Thursday 13 March, Preston Town Hall, 3pm to 7pm
Thursday 20 March, Fulwood Methodist Church, 3pm to 7pm
Portable enforcement cameras are being brought in to combat inconsiderate motorists who park illegally in cycle lanes.
The Chorlton to Manchester Cycleway is one of the Council’s flagship cycling schemes. Providing a segregated cycling experience from a district centre to the heart of Manchester has been a key example of the Council’s commitment to providing people additional ways of travelling.
Unfortunately since the scheme’s completion it has been noted that a small minority of motorists have chosen to park across the cycle lane, blocking its intended purpose.
Not only is this illegal, but it is dangerous as it forces cyclists into the road to get around. For anyone in a wheelchair, with mobility issues or a pram this is especially hazardous, and something we want to avoid wherever possible.
In response to concerns raised by residents this is why from March 3, enforcement cameras will be in operation around the cycle route to monitor and penalise anyone caught breaking the law. This will be on top of the usual enforcement officers which patrol on foot.
Motorists who are caught parking in a cycle lane may be liable to pay a £70 penalty charge notice (PCN).
A driver issued with a PCN who believes it was incorrectly issued has the right to appeal the charge via the Council’s website.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport said: “After the completion of any major scheme we listen to feedback around how it’s working, and sadly people have reported frequent problems with vehicles being parked in the cycle lanes.
“These lanes are intended to be a quick and safe way for people wanting to cycle to and from the city centre. However, if people are confronted with cars and vans parked on the lanes, they are rendered totally useless.
“It’s not only inconsiderate to those trying to use them, but incredibly dangerous forcing people into the main road to go around an obstacle. Hopefully this period of additional enforcement will encourage people to think twice before parking illegally and plan their journeys ahead.
“In Manchester we are working to improve opportunities to walk and cycle and over time we hope to encourage a ‘people first’ mindset, rather than vehicles. Ultimately and most importantly we want Manchester to be clean, safe and attractive for everyone.”
The final part of the city council’s budget for next year was agreed last night (25 February) after council tax levels were set.
The 2.99 per cent increase in the city council’s share of council tax (a total of £306.11 for a Band D property per annum) means the £400,000 additional income has helped the council to avoid making cuts to essential frontline services.
The council’s wider budget plans also revealed ongoing and significant investment in services that residents regularly told us matter most to them – including investing in parks and open spaces, waste and recycling and housing.
Thanks to a much higher than average response rate to our 2025-26 budget survey (2,176 compared to an average of 1,427), we heard more about what matters to our residents:
People love Norwich as a place to live – 67% reported being happy/very happy with Norwich as a place to live, work and visit.
The majority of people (64%) were supportive/very supportive of our investment approach to services and major projects for the city.
50% of people were in favour of increasing the city council’s share of council tax by 2.99% to safeguard services while 30% were against this approach.
Mike Stonard, leader of the council, said: “We have worked hard to find a way to prevent cuts to frontline services again for another year, despite this getting increasingly difficult with each passing year.
“We know how much our residents rely on us to continue to provide them with services that make a really positive difference to their lives. I’m proud that all that work has paid off and that we are in a position to be able to invest in our services, invest in our people and invest in our city.”
Next year the council will spend a total of £107m on vital public services for the city, having identified a total of £3.2m in savings as part of the solution to balance the books.
Alongside the delivery of day-to-day services, next year’s budget set out plans to invest £29.9m in critical infrastructure for the city next year, which forms part of a total of £46.9m of capital investment over the next five years up to 2030.
The council will also continue to prioritise housing in the city, with a budget commitment of £7.6m to invest in new social housing.
In addition, there was a commitment to retain the current council tax reduction scheme, which provides relief of up to 100 per cent on tax bills for those on the lowest incomes.
Liverpool City Council has announced a plan to connect its head office at the Cunard Building to the Mersey Heat District Heat Network.
This initiative aims to reduce the building’s carbon emissions and contribute to the council’s broader goal of decarbonising its estate and operations by 2030.
The Cunard Building, a large and historic structure on Liverpool’s historic waterfront, currently relies on a gas-fed heating system. By transitioning to the low-carbon hot water provided by the Mersey Heat network, the council expects to significantly decrease the building’s environmental impact.
The project has received a grant of up to £1.6 million from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, facilitated by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA). This funding will cover the costs of connecting the building to the heat network and making necessary fabric improvements to enhance heat retention.
In addition to the grant funding, the council is seeking a loan of £268,190.48 to match the grant and ensure the project’s successful completion.
The council has authorised the Corporate Director of City Development to oversee the project, including entering into agreements with Mersey Heat Limited and LCRCA.
Key benefits of the project will see a transition to low-carbon hot water, significantly decreasing the Cunard Building’s environmental impact.
The historic building will also be fitted with heat retention enhancements, further reducing energy consumption.
The project is expected to save 152 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere every year.
The council is committed to creating a well-connected, sustainable, and accessible city. This project represents a significant investment in that vision, ensuring the Cunard Building remains a landmark for generations to come.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “This project is a crucial step in our efforts to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly city.
“By connecting the Cunard Building to the district heat network, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also investing in the long-term future of this iconic landmark.
“We will be helping to reduce carbon emissions substantially and give this historic building the technology to continue functioning for future generations. The whole project is a great example of how all of our buildings, no matter how old or grand, can be included in a net zero future.”
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The Military Training Center (MTC) of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University held ceremonial events dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day.
The military training center was visited by the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova. The Head of the Academic Department – Deputy Head of the Military Training Center, Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Filin reported to the Vice-Rector about the start of training students under the military training program for reserve soldiers in the specialty of “unmanned aerial vehicle operator”. The training is carried out using new models of educational and material base and taking into account the experience of conducting a special military operation.
Lyudmila Vladimirovna also took part in the award ceremony of the employees of the Military Training Center. For high professionalism, exemplary performance of official and service duties, Stanislav Shidlovsky, a teacher of the communications department, received the medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the second degree. The medals of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation “Marshal of the Signal Troops Peresypkin” were awarded to the head of the communications department Igor Popok and the head of the training unit – deputy head of the department Andrei Yurov.
Lyudmila Pankova presented the teachers of the departments of anti-aircraft missile forces of the Aerospace Forces and communications, general military training cycles and unmanned aerial vehicles with jubilee medals “110 years of the Air Defense Forces”.
Lyudmila Vladimirovna congratulated teachers and students on the holiday and emphasized the importance of their role in the life of the country.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The lecture on the topic “Forecast 2045: Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Life and… Physics” for students and postgraduates of SPbPU was given by the famous physicist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, scientific director of the National Center of Physics and Mathematics Alexander Sergeev.
Introducing the guest to the students, the rector of SPbPU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy noted that the event was organized with the support of the Rosatom State Corporation as part of the Time of Science project and was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry.
I am confident that this significant meeting will give a special impetus to both students and employees to develop their research activities to ensure Russia’s technological sovereignty, Andrei Ivanovich emphasized.
‘
In his lecture, Alexander Sergeev reviewed the challenges facing modern physics and technologies using artificial intelligence that are changing our present and future. He quoted the famous physicist Vitaly Ginzburg, who identified three problems of all sciences: the irreversibility of time; the problem of interpreting and understanding quantum mechanics; the problem of reductionism – the question of the connection between physics and biology. And today, Alexander Sergeev emphasized, science is looking for answers to the questions of what is life and what is thought. And an important role here is given to physics, which allows us to describe a very complex system in the simplest possible way.
Alexander Mikhailovich spoke about modern trends in the development of artificial intelligence technologies, describing their pros and cons. The main advantage is the acceleration and optimization of all processes, and the main problem that the academician identified is depriving people of the ability to make decisions and take responsibility.
It is possible that there will be a very thin layer of people who own and manage information, then a powerful machine layer and 99% of people who will be a crowd living according to the laws and algorithms dictated to them, chosen by artificial intelligence. To prevent this, one must remain a thinking and critical person, and not trust all decisions to artificial intelligence.
After the lecture, which also presented the latest developments of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and answered questions from students, Alexander Sergeev held a meeting with the scientific community of SPbPU. The scientist spoke about the key areas of the scientific program of the NCPhM and projects for the creation of advanced laboratories and installations of the “midiscience” and “megascience” class, about schools and seminars for students based at the National Center for Physics and Mathematics. Alexander Mikhailovich called on students and scientists of the university to participate more actively in scientific events of the NCPhM and invited them to the XXVI Kharitonov Thematic Scientific Readings “Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Technical, Industrial, Natural and Social Systems”, which will be held on April 14-18 this year in Sarov.
The busy program of the visit of the scientific director of the NCFM also included a visit to the Peter the Great SPbPU Supercomputer Center, accompanied by the first vice-rector of the university Vitaly Sergeev and a meeting with the vice-rector for digital transformation Alexey Borovkov, where they discussed prospects for cooperation, including in the field of creating digital twins.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Specialists from the Moscow scientific institute Rosneft have developed for the first time in Russia a recipe and production method for a new low-tonnage chemical product* – a peroxide polymerization initiator.
The product’s recipe consists entirely of domestic raw materials, which are not inferior to the best world analogues, and in some parameters significantly surpass them.
Polymerization initiators are used in industrial processes for the production of additives to diesel fuels, as well as various polymers (plastics, rubbers, paints, adhesives, and much more). Successful tests of the new product were conducted at Rosneft production sites – the Angarsk Polymer Plant and the Angarsk Plant of Catalysts and Organic Synthesis.
The approach to synthesizing new structures developed by Rosneft scientists will form the basis for the development of a whole line of polymerization initiators in demand in our country in the future.
The Company’s scientific unit pays special attention to the development of small- and medium-tonnage chemistry**. Small-tonnage chemistry in Russia is focused on the production of high-margin products – catalysts, initiators, special additives and reagents, which play a key role in petrochemistry, polymer production, pharmaceuticals and other industries.
*Small-tonnage chemistry refers to the production of petrochemical products in volumes of up to 10,000 tons per year. **Medium-tonnage chemistry refers to the production of products in volumes from 10,000 to 150,000 tons per year.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft February 26, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Aktia Bank Plc Press release 26 February 2025 at 2.00 p.m.
Moody’s affirmed Aktia’s ratings and upgraded outlook from negative to stable
On 26 February 2025, Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the long-term outlook on Aktia’s credit ratings for short-term and long-term funding from negative to stable. At the same time, Moody’s confirmed Aktia’s short-term funding rating at A2/P-1 and long-term funding rating at A2. Moody’s release is available at www.aktia.com under Investors > Debt & funding > Rating.
Aktia Bank Plc
Further information: Timo Ruotsalainen, Head of Treasury, Tel. +358 50 386 1753 Oscar Taimitarha, Director, Investor Relations, Tel. +358 40 562 2315, email ir (at) aktia.fi
Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd Mass media www.aktia.com
Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 850 people around Finland. Aktia’s assets under management (AuM) on 31 December 2024 amounted to EUR 14.0 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 11.9 billion. Aktia’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.
In addition to regulation and long-term policies, an inexpensive way of curbing the spread of false information online would be to take action as early and as upstream as possible, influencing internet users themselves.
The desire of individuals not to appear ill-informed in the eyes of their audience, thereby damaging their reputation, could be an effective lever, as shown by the different treatments tested with a group of internet users in a recent empirical survey to which Émeric Henry, Head of Sciences Po Department of Economics, contributed.
Social media has fundamentally changed the way we interact, communicate and access information. Its potential to spread misinformation is a major concern for citizens and politicians alike. Political misinformation is rife on platforms such as Facebook, X/Twitter and Reddit. This is worrying given that a substantial share of users rely on these platforms to get information.
A delicate balance needs to be struck between combating false information and protecting freedom of expression. In the United States, constitutional limits hinder the regulation of content moderation. The European Union does plan to regulate platforms via the Digital Services Act (DSA), but for the time being the focus is on illegal content while significant political misinformation continues. Some researchers are advocating for the introduction of digital education programmes to teach citizens to distinguish between accurate information and fake news as a long-term solution to combat the phenomenon.
A completely different approach consists of influencing users before they decide whether or not to share content on social media, that is, taking action as early as possible. Such a policy would be less costly and some of its components would be easy to implement. It could involve requiring confirmation clicks when the decision is made to share, encouraging users to think about the consequences of sharing false information – an intervention known as a “nudge” that was recently demonstrated to be effective by psychologist Gordon Pennycook and David Rand, professor of management science, brain and cognitive sciences – or even offering fact-checking, as some platforms already do.
How can we encourage people to think before they share?
How effective could these various interventions be? What mechanisms do they activate? A recent experimental study on “Curtailing False News, Amplifying Truth” provides some answers.
Conducted by Sergei Guriev, Émeric Henry, Theo Marquis and Ekaterina Zhuravskaya during the 2022 mid-term legislative campaign in the United States, it used different treatments to assess their impact on the circulation of both false and true information. The study exposed 3,501 American X/Twitter users to four political news tweets: two containing misinformation and two containing facts. The participants, who had to decide whether or not to share one or more of these tweets on their X/Twitter account, were randomly divided into groups to receive different treatments.
In the first group (the No policy control group) they could do whatever they wanted with these four tweets. In the second group (Require extra click), they had to click one more time to confirm their sharing decision – a slightly more tedious process. In a third group (Prime fake news circulation), they received a “nudge” message prior to sharing, inspired by the incentives proposed by Pennycook and Rand: “Please think carefully before retweeting. Remember that a significant amount of fake news circulates on social networks.” The fourth group, Offer fact-check, were informed that two tweets contained false information detected by PolitiFact.com, a well-known fact-checking non-governmental organisation. They were given the link to access the fact-check.
The effects of various treatments to combat misinformation (credits: S. Guriev, É.Henry, T. Marquis and E. Zhuravskaya, ‘Curtailing False News, Amplifying Truth’, CEPR Discussion Paper, No. 18650, 2023. https://cepr.org/publications/dp18650)
At the end of the survey, all participants were asked to rate the veracity and partisan tendency of each post. The figure above illustrates the effects of the different treatments on the sharing of false information (left-hand panel) and true information (right-hand panel). It shows that all the treatments helped to reduce the rate of sharing false information. In the Require extra-click, Prime fake news circulation and Offer fact-check groups, the sharing rates were respectively 3.6, 11.5 and 13.6 points lower than in the control group, bearing in mind that 28 per cent of the latter’s members shared one of the tweets containing false information.
However, not all the interventions had the same effect on the rate of sharing true information, which was 30 per cent in the control group: asking for an extra click before sharing had no discernible effect; offering access to a fact-check reduced the sharing of truthful tweets by 7.8 percentage points; but sending a behavioural warning message (Prime fake news circulation) increased the average rate of sharing truthful tweets by 8.1 points.
All these results establish a clear hierarchy of the effectiveness of policies designed to improve the accuracy of shared content. The Prime fake news circulation policy, which encourages users to think about the consequences of sharing false information, appears to be more effective, as it encourages the “sharing discernment” advocated by Pennycook and Rand: it increases the sharing of true information while decreasing the sharing of false information.
The major impact of reputation effects
To understand the mechanisms underlying the differentiated effects of these treatments on the sharing of true and false information, the study looked at the motives that encourage users to share information on social media. It shows that the perception of veracity reinforces the sense that sharing information is useful for reputational reasons, that’s to say not wanting to appear ill-informed in the eyes of one’s audience.
Information matching the user’s opinion also increases feelings of satisfaction when sharing it, be it to convince an audience or to signal political identity. The study confirms that it is possible to influence sharing through three processes: updating, salience and cost of sharing.
The first process leads users to revise their beliefs about the veracity or partisan alignment of content. For example, exposure to fact-checking aims to change one’s perception of information accuracy. The second process increases the salience of reputational concerns over partisan motives, so that the user pays more attention than before to the veracity of information when deciding to share it. Treatments that encourage caution (Prime fake news circulation), for example, are designed to affect this salience. The third process, which consists of requesting an additional click for confirmation, regardless of information veracity, increases the cost of sharing for the user. Each process impacts this cost.
The figure below breaks down the effects of these three processes. Surprisingly, treatments designed to revise beliefs about the veracity of information, such as fact-checking, have little impact. In fact, the overall effect of each treatment stems from a combination of the salience of reputational concerns, partisan motives and the cost of sharing.
The breakdown of the effects of different treatments to combat disinformation (credits: S. Guriev, É. Henry, T. Marquis, and E. Zhuravskaya, ‘Curtailing False News, Amplifying Truth’, CEPR Discussion Paper, No. 18650, 2023. https://cepr.org/publications/dp18650)
Salience in particular explains the difference between the effects of the treatments on the sharing of true and false information. Improving (or protecting) one’s reputation increases the sharing of true information and reduces the sharing of false information. All the treatments, to varying degrees, increase salience, with the message encouraging caution (Prime fake news circulation) having the greatest effect.
At the same time, the friction associated with the different treatments reduces the sharing of both true and false information. The additional costs of the Prime fake news circulation treatment are considerably lower than those of the Offer fact-check treatment, which makes this type of intervention more effective in increasing the sharing of true information.
A question of efficiency
The results of this study have two implications for policies aiming to fight misinformation.
First, they confirm the effectiveness of shortterm actions to encourage users to think about the consequences of circulating false information, as recommended by Pennycook and Rand. This method reduces the sharing of false information and increases the sharing of true facts, without reducing the overall engagement of social media users.
Second, these results show that with fact-checking users share less false information, not because they discover that it is false, but because at the moment of sharing they become aware of the need to check the veracity of the information. As a result, despite involving significant investment, fact-checking by professional verifiers could be less effective than fact-checking by an algorithm, which is faster (occurring earlier in the sharing process) and less costly, but more prone to error.
In the latter case, the user is quickly informed that the content was flagged as suspect by the algorithm, heightening concern for veracity. These short-term policies are obviously complementary to, and not a substitute for, long-term policies such as digital literacy.
Sign outside a hot dog restaurant in Chicago, after the televised presidential debate on 11 September 2024, during which Donald Trump claimed that in Springfield, Ohio, immigrants were stealing people’s dogs and cats to eat them. (credits: Scott Olson / Getty images via AFP)
The study also shows an interesting mechanism that underscores this complementarity: if the users, concerned about their reputation, know that their audience is more alert to misinformation as a result of better education, they are less likely to spread misinformation.
However, short-term policies are likely to foster habituation, which may reduce their effectiveness. It might be wise to use them only during periods of heightened risk, such as election campaigns.
In 2008 the Mayor’s Fund for London was established as a vehicle for a wide range of ambitions, and primarily to generate additional resources for London’s communities and young people.
In 2024, the Mayor’s Fund reached over 89,000 young people across London. Working with young people from various socio-economic backgrounds and collaborating with community organisations, schools, colleges and other charities. Its new strategy launched in January 2025, setting out the Fund’s ambitions for 2025-2028.
Tomorrow, the GLA Oversight Committee will question the Mayor’s Fund for London about its work. The guests are:
Jim Minton, Chief Executive Officer, Mayor’s Fund for London
Basma Elhayani, Youth Board Member, Mayor’s Fund for London
The Committee will also ask questions on new proposals for the format of People’s Question Time between 2025 and 2028. The guests are:
Lt. Gen. John Brennan, U S. Africa Command Deputy Commander, traveled to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 20-21 to meet with the Chief of Tanzanian People ‘s Defence Forces Gen. Jacob John Mkunda, and to be the keynote speaker at the closing ceremony for Exercise Cutlass Express.
“We see Tanzania as a key strategic partner in East Africa; an anchor of security and stability,” Brennan said during his meeting with the chief of defence on Feb. 21.
Brennan and Mkunda discussed past, ongoing, and future security cooperation activities and opportunities between the United States and Tanzania, with both highlighting the importance of the newly-signed agreement between Tanzania and the Nebraska National Guard as part of the U.S. State Partnership Program. Under the SPP, Nebraska Guard members will travel to Tanzania to train together with Tanzanian forces, strengthening both organizations and reinforcing the U.S.-Tanzanian partnership, with reciprocal visits by TPDF to Nebraska to participate in their annual training.
Following the meeting, Brennan attended the U.S. Sixth Fleet- and TPDF-hosted closing ceremony for Exercise Cutlass Express 2025, concluding the exercise’s 15th iteration since 2011.
Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Michael Mhona, Chief of operations and training for the Tanzanian people’s defence forces, spoke about the importance of training together with regional partners.
“Cutlass Express 2025 has been an outstanding demonstration of the power of cooperation, mutual respect, and commitment to the power of regional security,” Mhona said.
The exercise took place from Feb. 10-21 and hosted over 1000 participants from 20 partner nations as part of a global network of partners that enhance cooperation and expertise in maritime security operations in the Western Indian Ocean.
Brennan echoed the importance of security cooperation and thanked TPDF organizers for hosting the exercise and being a strong partner to the United States.
“We greatly appreciate Tanzania hosting both Cutlas Express and Justified Accord simultaneously, which demonstrates not only their exceptional hospitality, but the TPDF’s capability as well,” Brennan said during his remarks. “This is an enduring partnership we want to continue to foster and grow to connect allies and partners from five continents for a common purpose.”
Cutlass Express focuses on enabling East African partners to expand their capacity and capability to support maritime security operations and combat threats such as piracy, trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The coordination of 10 national maritime operations centers across eight partner nations sought to improve regional coordination, with this year being the first to feature a U.S. P-8A Poseidon aircraft to establish communication links during a Cutlass Express. Visit, board, search and seizure training in both Tanzania and Mauritius, as well as a week-long rule of law course hosted in Seychelles, allowed partners to share and refine their tactics for interdiction operations while ensuring a legal finish to hold malign actors accountable for illicit at-sea activity.
Participants spanned five continents and included Australia, Belgium, Comoros, Djibouti, France, Georgia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom.
Cutlass Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. Sixth Fleet as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Press release
Change of British High Commissioner to Namibia: Neil Bradley
Mr Neil Bradley has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia in succession to Mr Charles Moore.
Neil Bradley
Mr Neil Bradley has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia in succession to Mr Charles Moore who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Bradley will take up his appointment during April 2025.
Curriculum vitae
Full name: Neil Andrew Bradley
Year
Role
2020 to 2025
Monrovia, His Majesty’s Ambassador
2017 to 2020
FCO, Head of Human Rights Policy Unit
2015 to 2016
Brussels, Head of UK-EU Funding Unit, UK Permanent Representation to the EU
2011 to 2015
Pretoria, Political Counsellor, Secondment to the European External Action Service, EU Delegation South Africa
2008 to 2011
Pretoria, Political Counsellor
2006 to 2008
FCO, Deputy Head, Migration Group
2000 to 2006
Brussels, First Secretary, Justice and Home Affairs Section, UK Permanent Representation to the EU
2000
Joined FCO, pre-posting training (including French Language training)
1998 to 2000
Joint Home Office/Cabinet Office Unit, Head of Voluntary Sector Relations Section
The European Union aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and to become the first carbon-neutral economy by 2050. This ambitious goal requires a radical increase in the production of green energy within a relatively short timeframe. The untapped potential of rural areas in the union offers a way forward.
Rural areas could produce more energy than we need
Rural areas cover more than 80% of the EU’s territory and are host to around 30% of its population. Our work at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) shows that rural territories already generate the largest share of green electricity (72%) from the three most prominent renewable technologies: solar photovoltaic, onshore wind and hydropower. The remaining share of renewable energy is produced in towns and suburbs (22%) and cities (6%). Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Sweden are the top five renewable energy producers in the union, accounting for 68% of its total production from solar, onshore wind and hydropower installations.
But there is more. According to our analyses, rural areas also possess the highest untapped potential of renewable energy production–nearly 80%. Theoretically, they could produce enough to meet the total energy demand of the EU. We estimate that the total potential of solar, onshore wind and hydropower energy production in rural areas nears 12,500 terawatt hours per year. That’s more than five times the amount of electricity the union consumed in 2023, and it surpasses total energy consumption (which includes sources such as gas, oil and coal) for that year, too.
Technologies that suit the land
All this energy could be produced in rural areas without disrupting existing agricultural systems, landscapes and natural resources. Rural areas could produce up to 60 times more solar energy than what they currently deliver, quadruple their output from wind, and boost hydropower production by 25%. Spain, Romania, France, Portugal and Italy are the five EU countries with the highest combined (solar, wind and hydropower) untapped potential: together, they account for 67% of the EU’s potential, with contributions from rural areas ranging from 92% in France to 49% in Italy.
Overall, solar panels installed on the ground can make the biggest contribution to green energy production in the EU. However, rural areas across the union are highly diverse, so choosing the right technology would depend on local characteristics. Mountainous areas with abundant water resources are a good fit for hydropower production, while rural municipalities with large areas of suitable land lend themselves to solar or wind energy, depending on sun irradiation and wind speed. In rural areas where wind and land are insufficient, rooftop photovoltaic systems are a good option.
Boosting clean energy production can be a win-win
Rural areas are key to producing more renewable energy, as almost 80% of suitable, available land is located there. In addition, some of these areas are facing demographic and economic decline and are already the target of measures aimed at making them stronger, resilient and prosperous–as part of the EU’s long-term vision for rural areas. In this context, ensuring that these areas benefit economically from hosting more renewable energy projects makes them even more enticing. It also aligns with political considerations, as energy independence is a key part of the EU’s goal of strategic autonomy.
Addressing local concerns and fostering acceptance
While the potential offered by renewables is unquestionable, their production sites can face resistance from communities concerned about impacts on the local economy and quality of life. Seeing land used to produce energy with little local employment and seemingly for the benefit of large companies can also lead to resistance. Other concerns include competition for land use in areas where income is tied to other industries (such as agriculture or tourism), and the potential environmental impact of solar panels and wind or hydropower plants on rustic landscapes. With these concerns in mind, we identified portions of land suitable to host renewable energy plants that comprise roughly 3.4% of the EU’s surface. We excluded protected nature sites and biodiversity areas, forests and water bodies. We used strict limits on the use of agricultural land for energy production by only considering land that has been abandoned or has a very low productivity. Finally, we created buffer zones around infrastructure and settlements to minimise disturbance and safeguard natural beauty and cultural heritage.
Engaging local communities to find solutions
In our report, several case studies show the successful implementation of renewable energy projects in rural areas, driven by community engagement, collaboration and innovative financing models. From the first community-owned turbine in southern Europe in Catalonia, Spain, to a commercial energy company giving part of its profits to a local cause chosen with an energy community in the northern Netherlands, these cases highlight the potential for such projects to contribute to energy security, produce economic and social benefits and promote environmental sustainability.
These case studies show that active involvement of local communities from the early stages of renewable energy projects can foster acceptance. Citizens who are actively engaged or even share ownership in small- or medium-scale projects become more supportive. Beyond seeing profits stay local, engaged communities can mitigate negative effects of production by, for instance, choosing where to locate new energy plants.
Our report also offers an overview of renewable energy communities’ role in ensuring a sustainable energy transition in which rural areas are not left behind. The number of renewable energy communities in the EU is rising and, although an exact count is unavailable, it is estimated that there were over 4,000 of them, with some 900,000 members, in 2023. These communities are mainly concentrated in northwest Europe, and a high proportion are rural. Beyond energy communities, place-based approaches, where local populations and administrations are engaged from the early stages and see clear benefits, can make an important contribution to our sustainable transition.
Lewis Dijkstra ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Supporting the UK aviation sector
Secretary of State for Transport outlines next steps for airport expansion during the Airlines UK annual dinner.
Good evening, everyone.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of you over the last couple of weeks individually. But I will be honest with you, not only did I not expect to find myself in this job, I also didn’t envisage spending quite so much time talking about airports.
But I am glad I have because aviation not only underpins the growth we want, but our approach to it says a lot about the country we want to be.
Now some might say the current debate about airport expansion highlights a fundamental tension between growing the economy, whilst protecting the environment.
I say: we must do both.
We could put our head in the sand and pretend that people don’t want to fly. Pretend that families aren’t dispersed across the globe. That they don’t work hard for, and enjoy, their summer holidays. We could pretend that businesses don’t have international clients and colleagues and that air freight isn’t a significant part of the UK’s trade by value. We could pretend that aviation isn’t critical to the economy of an island nation. But we would be knowingly detaching ourselves from reality.
We live in an increasingly interconnected world. Whilst technology has in some respects brought us all so much closer together, there are some things that smartphones, streaming or Zoom just can’t replicate. So as a government, we have a choice – either engage with the world as we find it, or we fail. We know demand for air travel is only going in one direction. Record-breaking stats from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last week confirm passenger levels were 7% higher in 2024 than the previous year. Demand is up – and if we don’t meet it, then we will lose out to our European competitors and risk being on the wrong side of public aspirations.
So the Chancellor has been clear: we will do all we can to support the sector and take the brakes off growth. It’s why we’ve approved London City Airport’s plans to expand to 9 million passengers per year by 2031 and it’s why we welcomed Stansted’s additional £1.1 billion investment to extend its terminal. But there remain capacity problems – particularly at airports in the southeast.
So, as you know, planning applications for Gatwick and Luton are literally on my desk. And as you might have picked up, the government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once received, we will move at speed to review the Airports National Policy Statement. But let me be clear – this is in no way a blank cheque. My job as decision maker on all of these schemes will be to strike a balance – between expansion’s potential benefits of jobs, trade and tourism, with tough questions on:
whether this is compatible with our climate and air quality obligations
whether we can minimise noise and disruption to local communities
whether this will benefit airlines and passengers, and how we make sure costs are shared fairly
This government believes in increasing airport capacity. We’re ambitious for the sector, but these strict criteria must be met if we are to balance the needs of today with the necessities of tomorrow.
But it’s not just about airport expansion – I want us to take a holistic look at aviation. Our Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, has worked with many of you for years on what are now some of this government’s key manifesto commitments. He has seen first-hand this sector re-emerge stronger from one of its toughest periods and stand today at the cusp of what could be the biggest transformation in its 100-year history. Now more than ever, you need a government that is a willing partner you can trust, whose electoral mandate provides stability, and whose policy agenda provides certainty.
But I would ask that you judge me and the government not on what we say – because goodness knows you’ve had enough of politicians promising you things. But judge us on the choices we make. While this government is only 8 months old, our choices are clear. Every decision measured against the yardstick of growth:
planning reforms – delayed by successive governments as just too hard, now allowing us to finally build again
a national wealth fund – now creating thousands of jobs and unlocking investment
the first industrial strategy in years – due this summer
work accelerated on modernising our airspace, that critical national infrastructure which gets forgotten far too often
Right across the board, it’s clear, we’re choosing growth. For us here tonight, that means running hell for leather towards greener and quieter flights. Stand still and we risk making ourselves poorer in every way. I, therefore, see both decarbonisation and modernisation, above all, as a moral mission.
Let me be clear, I have no intention of clipping anyone’s wings. I am not some sort of flight-shaming eco-warrior. I love flying – I always have. For me, there is something intrinsically optimistic about taking to the sky. I’d even go as far as saying that EasyJet’s bacon sandwich on an early morning flight from Gatwick is up there with my favourite things in life. Other airports, operators and snacks are of course available!
I believe it is incumbent on all those in public life to give businesses the tools for success and increase opportunities for people to improve their lot. That means more passengers and freight in the air, not less. But I am equally clear that this must also mean less carbon, not more. That’s why sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is so important. Over its lifecycle, it will reduce emissions by 70% when compared with jet fuel. And just weeks into office, we reiterated our commitment to the SAF Mandate and, in November, we signed it into law.
Throughout, we’ve listened to your concerns. You rightly said demand without supply will mean higher costs – and that’s on top of pressures you’re already facing on many fronts. Harming your competitiveness doesn’t help anyone. So I don’t suggest for a second that SAF is a silver bullet, but it is integral to reaching net zero aviation by 2050 – that’s why we are backing it to the hilt. And by legislating for a price guarantee, we will send a clear signal to investors: that this is a serious opportunity for you.
It will give certainty to producers looking to grow their UK production, and our £63 million investment in the Advanced Fuels Fund will ensure we start becoming more self-sufficient.
I know it is early days, and many technologies are not yet scaled, but SAF sits alongside a range of other levers that we must pull to decarbonise the sector. More efficient aircraft and engines will burn less fuel and play a key role. We are even starting to get ready for zero emission flights. These projects – and more – are supported by nearly £1 billion in government funding for the aerospace technology programme as well as the CAA’s hydrogen in aviation regulatory challenge. And I’ve mentioned it already, but our ongoing commitment to airspace modernisation is key for both growth and decarbonisation, with the potential for quicker and greener flights.
Getting all this right matters – it matters for the planet and for the next generation. I don’t have children, but I know what I want for my nieces and nephew.
A world ravaged by climate change and extreme weather events? Of course not.
A world where they have been denied the opportunities to travel that I have? No.
I want them to live life. To fly. To see different places. Experience different cultures. To understand that those who would see countries retreating into their own corners of the globe are on the wrong side of history.
So this matters – for the next generation, but also for today. Decarbonising aviation could be worth billions to the economy, and support thousands of jobs. It is an important enabler to our industrial strategy.
And if we are to be successful, we must embrace partnership.
I am grateful to many in this room for your involvement in the Jet Zero taskforce, it’s crucial that we pool our resources and expertise – both government and industry – to secure this industry’s future.
So, I’ll finish by saying this – the government’s Plan for Change depends on aviation’s success, on the economic value you bring, on the jobs you support, on the trade you facilitate. But that growth depends on us running as fast as we can towards cleaner aviation. It’s the only way to break out of the paralysis successive governments have tolerated.
The new aviation futures forum will be a crucial vehicle for that work. Some of you may remember this as the Aviation Council – and I’m sorry that we seem to have to rename everything when there’s a change of government. But I hope it’s clear that our commitment is immutable: we are as determined as you are to tackling our shared challenges.
I don’t just want to talk about challenges though. Because if we continue making the right choices, we will achieve our shared vision of a growing, thriving aviation sector. One that improves both the lives and the livelihoods of people right across the country. Not many sectors so visibly and tangibly sustain both our economy and people’s lives. So let’s make sure, together, that we secure more of those benefits in the future.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Twelve people recognised by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed
The efforts of 12 people, including 7 young cadets, from across Dyfed have been recognised by the King’s representative for the county.
Dyfed Lord-Lieutenant standing with Certificate of Merit recipients and the Lord-Lieutenant Cadets of Dyfed. RFCA for Wales copyright.
In recognition of their outstanding service and devotion to duty, 5 people were awarded the Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate of Merit by Miss Sara Edwards, in the ceremony at Picton Barracks, Carmarthen, on Thursday 20 February.
The 5 were Lieutenant Aled Davies of Milford Haven Sea Cadets, Lieutenant Steven Grant of Fishguard Sea Cadets, Warrant Officer Jane Sanders of No 3 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets, Civilian Instructor Lisa Bevan of No 3 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets and Flight Sergeant Richard Fisher also of No 3 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets.
The achievements of the Lord-Lieutenant’s 7 cadets were recognised and celebrated during the event attended by more than 120 people.
Leading Cadet Chloe Faulkner of Llanelli Sea Cadets, Leading Cadet Finley Fells of Fishguard Sea Cadets, Cadet Sergeant Zuzanna Radkowska of Dyfed and Glamorgan Army Cadet Force, Cadet Squadron Sergeant Major Archie Measey of Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF, Cadet Sergeant Mariana Lemon of Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF, Cadet Flight Sergeant Katy Moyes of No 3 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets and Cadet Flight Sergeant Laura Edwards of No 3 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets outlined to the audience their time in cadets, including highlights of their role over the last 12 months.
The role, which continues until September, includes attendance with the Lord-Lieutenant at a number of official engagements such as Remembrance events, Royal visits and parades.
The 7 were selected for the prestigious Lord-Lieutenant’s cadet role after being put forward for nomination by cadet group leaders and the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales.
There are nearly 5,000 cadets in Wales who gain skills and qualifications through working with local communities, charities and taking part in a variety of practical activities.
The cadet syllabus is delivered by 1,850 volunteering adult Instructors and civilian assistants, who give up their spare time on weeknights and weekends.
The awards event was organised by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) for Wales – an organisation that has supported the armed forces for over 100 years.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Court and tribunal fees: updates from April 2025
An update on upcoming increases to selected court and tribunal fees.
In early April 2025, and subject to parliamentary approval, the Ministry of Justice will increase 171 court and tribunal fees to account for changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The income generated from these uplifts will help to support the efficient and effective running of His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS).
The department recovers a modest contribution towards the costs of providing HMCTS services from court and tribunal users, where they can afford to do so. The department has a history of increasing court and tribunal fees by inflation to ensure that fees keep pace with increased costs to HMCTS as a result of the general rise in prices, while at the same time minimising the cost to the taxpayer.
The majority of the 171 fees in scope will be increased by 3.2% to reflect the change in CPI between March 2023 and March 2024, with a small number of fees increased by 13.5% to reflect backdated inflation to March 2022. These fee increases are all rounded to the nearest pound. These fee changes will produce a significant level of additional funding that will go towards improving service delivery, subsidising the cost of related court and tribunal services for which we do not charge a fee, and reducing the overall cost to the taxpayer.
As well as increasing fees, the department will be reducing the value of a further 24 fees to ensure they remain aligned with the latest estimate of their underlying cost.
A full list of the fee changes, including the 171 to be increased and the 24 to be reduced, can be found in the table below. The government’s intention is for the changes to go live from 1 April for applications received by courts or tribunals on or after that date. Until then, the current fees will continue to apply.
Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008
SI Reference ID
Description
Current
New
1.4a
Recovery of Land (High Court)
£528
£545
1.4b
Recovery of Land (County Court)
£391
£404
1.5
Any other remedy (County Court)
£365
£377
1.5
Any other remedy (High Court)
£626
£646
1.6
Filing proceedings against an unnamed party
£65
£67
1.8a
Permission to issue proceedings
£65
£67
1.8b
Assessment of costs (under Part 3, Solicitors Act 1974)
£65
£67
1.9a
For permission to apply for judicial review
£169
£174
1.9b
On applying for a request to reconsider at a hearing a decision on permission
£424
£438
1.9ba
On an application for judicial review where fee 1.9(b) has been paid and permission is granted at a hearing
£385
£436
1.9c
Permission to proceed with judicial review if started with application for permission to apply for JR
£847
£874
1.9d
Permission to proceed with judicial review where started other than with permission to apply for JR
£169
£174
2.1a
Hearing fee: Multi track case
£1,175
£1,334
2.1b
Hearing fee: Fast track case
£545
£619
2.2
Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (High Court)
£285
£294
2.3a
Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (County court small claims)
£142
£147
2.3b
Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (County court other claims)
£166
£171
2.4(a)
General application (on notice) excluding Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out
£303
£313
2.4(b)
General application (on notice) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out
£184
£190
2.5(a)
General application (by consent/without notice) excluding Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out
£119
£123
2.5(b)
General application (by consent/without notice) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out
£59
£61
2.6
Application for summons or order for witness to attend court
£21
£4
2.8
Issue of a certificate of satisfaction
£15
£19
3.1b
Petition for bankruptcy (presented by creditor/other person)
£332
£343
3.4(a)
Request for a certificate of discharge from bankruptcy
£75
£22
3.7
Voluntary winding up fee
£50
£16
3.9
Submission of nominees report
£35
£11
3.11
Application within proceedings (by consent/without notice)
£29
£30
3.12
Application within insolvency proceedings (with notice, where no other fee is specified)
£109
£112
3.13
Search of bankruptcy and company records (County Court)
£45
£11
3.2
Petition for an administration order
£332
£343
3.3
Any other petition
£332
£343
3.5
Insolvency – other application
£308
£318
3.8
Notice of intention to appoint administrator
£55
£57
5.3
Issue of default costs certificate – Civil
£78
£80
5.4
Appeal (detailed assessment proceedings) – Civil
£274
£283
5.5
Request/application to set aside a default costs certificate
£143
£148
6.1
On the filing of a request for detailed assessment for Court of Protection
£96
£99
6.2
Appeal against a Court of Protection costs assessment decision
£77
£79
6.3
Request to set aside a default Court of Protection costs certificate
£72
£74
7.1
Sealing a writ of control/possession/delivery (High Court)
£78
£80
7.2
Order requiring a judgment debtor or other person to attend court
£65
£67
7.3a
Third party debt order or the appointment of a receiver by way of equitable execution
£131
£135
7.3b
Application for a charging order
£131
£135
7.4
Application for a judgment summons
£131
£135
7.5
Register a judgment or order, or for permission to enforce an arbitration award, or for a certificate or a certified copy of a judgment or order for use abroad
£78
£80
8.1
Issue warrant of control
£91
£94
8.2
Request for attempt of execution of a warrant at new address
£36
£37
8.3
Order requiring judgment debtor to attend court
£65
£67
8.4a
Application for a third party debt order
£131
£135
8.4b
Application for a charging order
£131
£135
8.5
Application for a judgment summons
£131
£135
8.6
Issue of a warrant of possession/warrant of delivery
£143
£148
8.7
Application for an attachment of earnings order – Civil
£131
£135
8.9
Application for enforcement of an award of a sum of money or any other decision made by any court, tribunal, body or person
£52
£54
8A.1
Service by a bailiff of an order to attend County Court for questioning
£131
£135
10.1
Bills of sale
£33
£34
10.4
Appointment of a High Court judge as arbitrator or umpire
£671
£692
10.5
Hearing before a High Court judge (per day or part day) as arbitrator or umpire
£671
£692
11.1
On the issue of a warrant for the arrest of a ship or goods
£20
£21
13.1a
Filing an appellant’s/respondent’s notice in the Court of Appeal where permission to appeal/extension of time is applied for
£626
£646
13.1b
Filing an appellant’s/respondent’s notice in the Court of Appeal where permission to appeal is not required or has been granted
£1,421
£1,466
13.1c
Court of Appeal – Appellant/respondent filing an appeal questionnaire
£1,421
£1,466
13.2
Court of Appeal – On filing a respondent’s notice
£569
£587
13.3
Court of Appeal – On filing an application notice
£626
£646
Magistrates’ Court Fees Order 2008
SI Reference ID
Description
Current
New
1.1
Application for a justice of the peace to perform function not on court premises
£28
£29
2.1
Application to state a case for the opinion of the High Court
£151
£156
2.2
Appeal (deduction from earnings order)
£21
£22
2.3
Appeal – proceedings under Schedule 5, Licensing Act 2003
£68
£70
2.4
Appeal (no other fee specified)
£68
£70
3.2
Request for a certificate of satisfaction
£18
£19
3.3
Request for a certified copy of a memorandum of conviction
£20
£15
3.4
Request for certificate/certified document (no fee specified)
£22
£23
4.2
Application for Child Support Liability Order
£25
£14
6.1
Request for licence/consent/authority (no other fee specified)
£30
£31
6.2
Application for renewal/variation of an existing licence
£30
£31
6.3
Application for the revocation of licence (no other fee specified)
£30
£31
7.2
For every oath (etc) where no other fee is specified
£30
£31
8.1
Commencing proceedings where no other fee is specified
£249
£284
8.2a
Application for leave/permission to commence proceedings (no other fee specified)
£138
£142
8.2b
Commencing proceedings where leave/permission has been granted
£138
£142
8.3
Contested hearing
£567
£644
9.2
Application for any other warrant (no other fee specified)
£89
£92
10.1
Application for a warrant of commitment (council tax proceedings)
£264
£212
10.2
Application for a warrant of commitment (Child Support Act 1991)
£45
£46
Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008
SI Reference ID
Description
Current
New
1.1
Originating proceedings where no other fee is specified
£270
£279
1.2
Application for a divorce, nullity or civil partnership dissolution
£593
£612
1.3
Application for matrimonial or civil partnership order
£402
£415
1.5
Amendment of application for matrimonial/civil partnership order
£95
£59
1.6
Answer to application for matrimonial/civil partnership order
£245
£234
1.7
On application for an order of assessment of costs
£55
£57
1.8
Application for parental order
£255
£263
2.1a
Parental responsibility (section 4(1)(c) or (3), 4A(1)(b) or(3) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1b
Parental responsibility (section 4ZA(1)(c) or (6) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1c
Guardians (section 5(1) or 6(7) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1d
Section 8 orders (section 10(1) or (2) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1e
Enforcement orders (section 11J(2) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1f
Compensation for financial loss (section 11O(2) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1g
Change of child’s surname or removal from jurisdiction while residence order in force (section 13(1) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1h
Special guardianship orders (section 14A(3) or (6)(a), 14C(3) or 14D(1) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1i
Secure accommodation order (section 25 of the Children Act 1989) – England
£255
£263
2.1ia
Secure accommodation order (section 25 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014)
£255
£263
2.1j
Change of child’s surname or removal from jurisdiction while care order in force (section 33(7) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1k
Contact with child in care (section 34(2), (3), (4) or (9) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1l
Education supervision order (section 36(1) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1m
Variation or discharge etc of care and supervision orders (section 39 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1n
Child assessment order (section 43(1) of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1o
Emergency protection orders (sections 44, 45 and 46 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1p
Warrant to assist person exercising powers under emergency protection order (section 48 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1q
Recovery order (section 50 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1s
Warrant to assist person exercising powers to search for children or inspect premises (section 102 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1t
Applications in respect of enforcement orders (under Schedule A1 of the Children Act 1989)
£112
£116
2.1u
Amendment of enforcement order by reason of change of address (under Schedule A1 of the Children Act 1989)
£77
£79
2.1v
Financial provision for children (paragraph 1(1) or (4), 2(1) or (5), 5(6), 6(5), (7) or (8), 8(2), 10(2), 11 or 14(1) of Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1w
Approval of court for child in care of local authority to live abroad (paragraph 19(1) of Schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989) – England
£255
£263
2.1wa
Approval of court for child in care of local authority to live abroad (Wales)
£255
£263
2.1x
Extension of supervision order (paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1y
Extension or discharge of education supervision order (paragraph 15(2) or 17(1) of Schedule 3 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.1z
Appeals concerning foster parents (paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 8 of the Children Act 1989)
£255
£263
2.2
Care and supervision order (Section 31 of the Children Act 1989)
£2,437
£2,515
2.3
Appeal relating to Children Act fees 2.1(a) to 2.1(s) (v) to (y) and 2.2)
£237
£245
2.4
Appeal against a contribution order – England
£237
£245
2.5
Appeal against a contribution order – Wales
£237
£245
2.6(a)
Section 72 Cancellation, variation or removal or imposition of condition of registration of child minder or day carer (England)
£255
£263
2.6(b)
Section 34 Cancellation of registration of child minder or day carer (Wales)
£255
£263
2.7
Commencing child mind or day carer appeal for application (England or Wales)
£237
£245
3.1
Application/permission to apply for adoption
£201
£207
3.2
Application for a placement order (under Section 22 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002)
£539
£556
3.3
Application to the High Court with regards to inherent jurisdiction with respect to children
£201
£207
4.1
On an application for a warning notice to be attached to a contact order
£54
£56
5.1
Application (without notice)
£58
£60
5.2
Application for decree nisi, conditional order, separation order (no fee if undefended)
£59
£61
5.3
Application (on notice) (unless otherwise listed)
£184
£190
5.4
Application for a financial order (other than consent order)
£303
£313
6.1
Filing an appeal notice from a district judge, one or more lay justices, a justices’ clerk or an assistant to a justices’ clerk
£138
£142
7.2
Search of central index of parental responsibility agreements
£45
£17
9.2(d)
On filing a request for detailed assessment where fee 9.1 does not apply
£1,345
£1,365
9.3
Issue of default costs certificate
£65
£18
9.4
Appeal (detailed assessment proceedings) – Family
£231
£238
9.5
Request/application to set aside a default costs certificate
£121
£125
10.2
Application for a maintenance order to be registered under the Maintenance Orders 1950 or 1958 Act
£55
£57
11.1
Application for order for financial provision
£237
£245
12.1
Application to question a judgment debtor or other person
£59
£61
12.2
Application for a third party debt order/appointment of a receiver
£85
£88
12.3
Application for a charging order
£42
£43
12.4
Application for a judgment summons
£80
£83
12.5
Application for an attachment of earnings order – Family
£37
£38
13.1
Application for enforcement of a judgment or order – warrant of control against goods
£110
£114
13.2
On a request for further attempt at execution of a warrant at a new address where the warrant has been returned to the court not executed
£30
£6
13.3
Issue for a warrant of possession or a warrant of delivery
£131
£135
14.1
Sealing a writ of execution/possession/delivery
£66
£68
14.2
On a request or application to register a judgment or order; or for permission to enforce an arbitration award; or for a certified copy of a judgment or order for use abroad
£66
£68
15.1
Request for service by a bailiff of document (see order for exceptions)
Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – personal operational function licence s127 of that Act
£880
£908
2
Appeal s337(1) Gambling Act 2005 – order to void a bet s336(1)
£9,400
£4,521
Court of Protection Fees Order 2007
SI Reference ID
Description
Current
New
4
Application fee (Article 4)
£408
£421
5
Appeal fee (Article 5)
£257
£265
6
Hearing fee (Article 6)
£494
£259
Gender Recognition (Application Fees) Order 2006
SI Reference ID
Description
Current
New
2
Application for a Gender Recognition Certificate
£5
£6
*Please note that fees 1.1 – 1.10 in the First-tier Tribunal (Gambling) Fees Order 2010 will all be consolidated under one fee at £4,521 from 1st April.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 26 Feb 2025 Today, the Commission presents the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of our industry. The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.
Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation
25th February 2025
The government’s Shared Island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.
Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland continue to build on the strong relationships already developed with the local authorities in both jurisdictions.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, today welcomed funding of up to €23 million for three Shared Island Tourism Destination projects.
Carlingford Lough: A network of trailheads, trails and water access points will be delivered across the region; increasing connectivity between tourism assets and complemented by delivery of a Destination Experience Strategy to promote the region. The investment will harness the benefits of the Narrow Water Bridge as a lynchpin for sustainable tourism and recreation activity around the whole Carlingford Lough area.
Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark: The trail network will be developed to link existing trails North and South of the border; enhancing and further linking the regional tourism offering at Cuilcagh and the wider cross-border UNESCO Global Geopark. Trail development will provide connectivity between the Marble Arch Caves, Cuilcagh Boardwalk and on to Cavan Burren Park and include interpretation, wayfinding and infrastructure, including a community-based interpretative centre at Glangevlin village.
Sliabh Beagh: Extensive connected walking, cycling, equestrian cross-border trails around Sliabh Beagh Mountain will be developed along the border, with the inclusion of trailheads and gateways. Trail development will also include interpretation, wayfinding and other facility development.
Minister Burke said:
“I welcome the announcement of this significant funding, which will boost the all-island economy and benefit communities north and south of the border. These projects have the potential to deliver sustained economic, social and environmental benefits across counties in both jurisdictions. Communities on either side of the border Ireland continue to collaborate in creating a place that they are proud to share with others, delivering a warm welcome and the promise of a memorable holiday.”
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has confirmed that Westminster City Council has achieved a C1 rating following an inspection of its housing services. This is the highest possible rating, indicating that the Council meets the consumer standards set by the regulator and effectively addresses and resolves problems when they are identified.
The Council is the first Local Authority in London to achieve this rating to date. The inspection involved a detailed review of documents, an on-site inspection and attendance at resident engagement meetings. The regulator also met with staff and residents to better understand their experiences.
The inspection follows significant focus and investment by the Council in improving its housing services. In Spring 2023, Westminster City Council introduced a housing improvement programme, which has included a focus on improving repairs, complaints and our support for the most vulnerable residents. Central to this has been a focus on improving the frontline service offer, including opening more service centres and a focus on engaging and listening to our residents.
The council has acknowledged there is still more to do, and this result does not mean it always gets everything right. The housing teams are committed to continuing to learn from residents and provide opportunities for them to influence how to further improve our services. This involves continuing the improvement journey which is shaped by the feedback from the inspection and what residents are saying.
Councillor Liza Begum, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, stated:
We welcome the findings from the Regulator of Social Housing, which demonstrates the significant progress we’ve made in improving our housing services over recent years.
This C1 rating provides an important validation of the steps we have taken to improve the leadership, governance and performance of our housing services and reflects the achievements so far. However, we know that there is still much to do to ensure residents receive the best possible service, and we fully acknowledge that this result does not mean we always get everything right.
Our improvement plans are still underway, and we will continue to work closely with residents, tenant management organisations and partners to drive continuous improvement.
We’re committed to listening to residents and acting on their feedback to ensure all our tenants have a safe, secure and well-maintained home.
Thank you to all the residents, staff, and partners who contributed to the inspection process. The feedback that we have received has been key in helping us deliver better homes, and services across Westminster.
To read the full inspection report, please visit: gov.uk.
A consultation has opened today (Weds 26 Feb) asking the Newton Heath community for feedback around what investment they would like to see in their district centre.
The engagement opportunity will look at how best to unlock the potential of the north Manchester neighbourhood as part of a city-wide approach to investing in and improving the city’s high streets.
The responses from local people will help the Council to develop a long-term plan for Newton Heath – or Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF) – that will help guide future development and improvements in the neighbourhood.
Currently the draft NDF focuses on a range of possible investment opportunities:
Providing new high-quality housing
A new public square and better public spaces that are more welcoming, safe and enjoyable
Improving and expanding community facilities such as the library
Improving health care facilities
Creating a more vibrant ‘high street’ (Old Church Street) by improving the shopping environment
Measures to help reduce peak traffic congestion
Making it easier to move around on foot or by bicycle
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:
“We have made a clear commitment to investing in Manchester’s high streets, which are the heart and soul of our communities. Already we have key projects nearing completion in Gorton and Withington – and key schemes on the way in Moston and Wythenshawe.
“This is about understanding what services and facilities our residents need and want from the district centres and working in collaboration with communities to invest in the right things.
“That’s why engagement opportunities like this are so important. This is the chance for local people to have their say and help guide the long-term development plan for Newton Heath.”
Local parks in Manchester are still wrapped up in the festive buzz following last year’s drive to encourage people to recycle their Christmas tree.
Over the festive season, the Council announced that residents could dispose of their Christmas tree at designated drop off points around the city to help with recycling or they could get a collection from a local charity, and thousands of residents responded.
Figures produced from the end of last year to January 2025, show that 5, 309 Christmas trees were recycled.
The chippings processed at Wythenshawe Park and Boggart Hole Clough will go on to be used in some form in local parks around Manchester.
In partnership with local charity Just Helping, who fundraise for Francis House hospice, the We Love Manchester charity and St Ann’s hospice, we raised £117, 675 for local hospices and charities as well as saved a an estimated 84, 944kg on CO2 emissions.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “It’s fantastic to see how the push for recycling Christmas trees last year has resulted in pouring back into our local communities with over 350 trees collected from our designated drop-off points.
“Manchester parks will directly benefit from recycled chippings, we’ve saved 84, 944kg of CO2 emissions and raised over £117,000 to go into the charity sector. Just Helping have played a key role in this success and we look forward to advancing this recycling initiative year on year.”
Georgia Vacher, Manchester Collection Lead for Just Helping, said: “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in Manchester this year. Our incredible team of volunteers braved all kinds of weather to collect thousands of trees, and the generosity of our supporters has been overwhelming.
“This is so much more than a fundraiser – it’s a way for the community to come together to support amazing causes like St Ann’s Hospice, Francis House Children’s Hospice, We Love MCR and other charities across Manchester, while also helping the environment. A huge thank you to everyone who registered their tree and donated. Together, we’re making a difference.”
Opening remarks by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in meeting with China Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Beijing on 26 February 2025:
Thank you, Minister, for your warm welcome tonight.
It is a pleasure to return to Beijing, after our last visit in 2018. And thank you for your hospitality then, as now, and to a number of people on your side whose faces we recognise across many, many years.
This reciprocates your visit to Wellington last year. Our personal connection, built over many years, enables us to exchange candid perspectives on developments in our long-standing bilateral relationship and to continue to build our mutual understanding.
The New Zealand-China relationship continues to benefit, as you said, from our mutually beneficial and significant trade and economic relationship and the comprehensive, regular two-way exchanges by our people, which are again growing following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our relationship also benefits from a resilient bilateral architecture that has been built up over many years of hard work and commitment by both sides, from regular high-level political exchanges to technical dialogues covering issues from trade and agriculture, to education, science and innovation, and indeed the environment.
Our long-standing connection enables our frank and comprehensive discussions on areas of disagreement, including those that stem from our different histories and different systems. Indeed, it is a sign of healthy relationships that we can and do express disagreement on important issues.
For New Zealand, you will be well aware of our ambition for the Pacific region to be peaceful, prosperous, and focused on Pacific-led institutions and solutions. Our connections to the Pacific are deep, particularly in the Realm of New Zealand which includes the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. Indeed, it’s in the name: Pacific.
Alongside this, our deep and abiding support for the rules-based international order and stable security, defence, and political engagement in the Indo-Pacific region are fundamental to our interests.
Turning to the global picture, we are meeting at a time of great uncertainty and strain, with the conflict in Ukraine having just entered its fourth year, and the Middle East turning to rebuild and addressing the immense humanitarian need on the ground.
Our dialogue with China on bilateral, regional and international issues is more important than ever. We encourage China to use its influence, weight and role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to work towards resolution of global issues.
We look forward to discussing these matters further with you this evening and in the following years.
Stockholm, February 26, 2025 – Virtune announces today that it has entered into an agreement with Tydliga, one of Sweden’s largest independent organizations for insurance brokers. Tydliga supports over 400 members, including insurance brokers and investment advisors, who together represent more than 300,000 clients and generate approximately 7 billion SEK in premiums for savings and insurance companies.
Through this agreement, Virtune will be able to market its crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) to Tydliga’s extensive network of advisors and insurance brokers. The cooperation agreement aims to increase awareness of crypto assets as an asset class, exchange-traded products, and how these can be a natural part of a well-balanced portfolio.
Virtune is a Swedish regulated digital asset manager and issuer of exchange-traded products (ETPs) listed on regulated marketplaces, including Nasdaq Stockholm. Virtune currently manages approximately 3.3 billion SEK, and their product range currently consists of 13 ETPs.
“The partnership with Tydliga is an important step for us at Virtune. It gives us the opportunity to reach a broader customer base through Tydliga’s extensive network of professional advisors and insurance brokers,” says Christopher Kock, CEO of Virtune.
This collaboration marks an important step in making crypto investments via exchange-traded products more accessible to the Swedish market, while ensuring that investments are made through regulated channels.
Press contact
Christopher Kock, CEO Virtune AB (Publ) Christopher@virtune.com +46 70 073 45 64
Virtune with its headquarters in Stockholm is a regulated Swedish digital asset manager and issuer of crypto exchange traded products on regulated European exchanges. With regulatory compliance, strategic collaborations with industry leaders and our proficient team, we empower investors on a global level to access innovative and sophisticated investment products that are aligned with the evolving landscape of the global crypto market.
Cryptocurrency investments are associated with high risk. Virtune does not provide investment advice. Investments are made at your own risk. Securities may increase or decrease in value, and there is no guarantee that you will recover your invested capital. Please read the prospectus, KID, terms at www.virtune.com